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ADVENTURES 


PATAGON I A 


Missionary's  Exploring  Trip 


REV.   TITUS    COAN 

WITH    AN    INTRODUCTION    BY 

REV.    HENRY    M.    FIELD,    D.D. 


NEW    YORK 

DODD,    MEAD   &   COMPANY 

Publishers. 


CoPTRiGHT,  1880,  BY  DODD,  MEAD  &  COMPANY 


oof  UQijOf^^ 


CONTENTS 

PAGB 

Introduction i 

Preface 7 

CHAPTER  I. 
The  Preparation 9 

CHAPTER   n. 
The  Decision 21 

CHAPTER   HI. 
The  Embarkation 30 

CHAPTER   IV 
Arrival  at  our  Landing  Place 46 

CHAPTER  V. 
Visiting  the  Indian  Camp 65 

CHAPTER  VI. 
A  Squall 90 

CHAPTER   VII. 
Chief  Congo  and  his  Clan 124 


4  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

PACH 

Arrival  of  the  "  Queen" 148 

CHAPTER  IX. 
Sail  ho! 160 

CHAPTER  X. 
Camp  Life 190 

CHAPTER  XL 
Farewell  to  Patagonia 210 

CHAPTER  XII. 
Life  at  the  Falkland  Islands 221 

CHAPTER  XIIL 
Homeward  Bound 254 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
Mr.  Darvvin'.s  Explorations 269 

CHAPTER  XV. 
The  Captive  in  Patagonia 287 

CHAPTER  XVI. 
The  Story  of  Capt.  Gardiner,  R.  N 291 

CHAPTER  XVIL 
Later  Efforts  for  Patagonia 311 

List  of  Writings  Relating  to  Patagonia. c. . . t ...  320 


INTRODUCTION. 


The  writer  of  the  following  narrative  is  one  of 
the  most  venerable  of  living  missionaries,  and  a 
noble  type  of  the  "high  caste"  to  which  he  belongs. 
With  the  strong  religious  conviction  which  comes 
from  Puritan  birth  and  training,  with  a  faith  that 
never  doubts,  and  a  zeal  that  inspires  courage  and 
devotion,  he  unites  a  practical  turn  of  mind,  a  nat- 
ural sagacity,  and  a  quickness  of  adaptation  to  all 
vicissitudes  of  experience  which  may  come  to  him 
in  strange  lands  and  among  strange  peoples — qual- 
ities which,  combined,  have  made  the  American 
missionary  a  marked  character  in  many  parts  of 
the  world,  and  given  him  great  success. 

The  Rev.  Titus  Coan  is  a  native  of  New  England, 
born  in  Killingworth,  Conn.,  where  his  life  began 
with  the  century,  February  ist,  1801.  He  was  the 
son  of  a  farmer,  and  had  no  advantages  but  such  as 
were  afforded  by  the  common  schools.  He  devel- 
oped a  stalwart  and  rugged  frame,  and  became 
noted    for  his  physical  strength.     In  manly  sports 


Vi  INTRODUCTION. 

he  was  an  athlete,  performing  with  ease  the  feat  of 
lifting  a  barrel  of  flour  to  his  shoulders.  He  joined 
a  military  company,  in  which  his  strength  and 
courage  gave  him  precedence,  and  he  soon  rose  to 
be  a  captain.  This  military  training  was  not  lost 
upon  him,  and  the  endurance  thus  developed  did 
him  good  service  in  the  privations,  hardships,  and 
exposures  of  his  after-life. 

One  could  not  live  in  Connecticut  in  those  days 
without  having  his  religious  impressions  and  expe- 
riences. The  famous  evangelist,  Asahel  Nettleton, 
a  native  of  Killingworth,  was  then  setting  New 
England  aflame  by  his  fervid  eloquence.  Where- 
ever  he  went  he  was  followed  by  crowds,  to  whom 
he  preached  with  an  earnestness  and  solemnity  that 
filled  them  with  awe.  Young  Coan  was  a  cousin  of 
Nettleton,  and  could  not  but  be  moved  by  the  tide 
of  religious  feeling  that  swept  over  the  country, 
though  it  was  not  till  he  had  grown  to  manhood 
that  he  took  the  decided  stand  implied  in  making  a 
"profession"  of  his  faith.  When  religion  takes  hold 
of  a  strong  character,  it  takes  the  stamp  of  the  man, 
and  stands  out  pronounced  and  positive.  One  who 
had  been  the  athlete  of  his  native  town,  foremost 
among  his  comrades,  was  not  likely  to  be  afraid  of 
letting  them  see  the  new  stand  that  he  had  taken. 
Prompt  and  bold   in  everything  he  did,  no  sooner 


INTRODUCTION.  vii 

had  he  come  out  on  the  Lord's  side,  than  he 
"  wheeled  into  line"  with  the  precision  of  a  soldier, 
and  taking  Christ  for  his  Captain,  marched  in  the 
van  under  his  great  Leader. 

Hardly  had  he  taken  this  stand,  before  his 
thoughts,  turned  to  the  profession  of  the  ministry. 
He  was  then  living  in  Western  New  York,  near 
Rochester,  and  the  nearness  of  Auburn  Seminary 
offered  him  a  place  for  theological  study.  Prepar- 
ing himself  with  such  opportunities  as  he  had  (with- 
out the  delay  of  going  through  college),  he  entered 
the  Seminary  in  the  fall  of  1831.  Looking  for- 
ward to  his  future  career,  he  had  already  decided 
to  devote  himself  to  the  work  of  foreign  missions, 
when  the  American  Board  (being  assured  by  a  sea 
captain  lately  returned  from  South  America  that  a 
hopeful  field  might  be  found  among  the  tribes  of 
Patagonia)  was  looking  around  for  a  couple  of  in- 
trepid soldiers  of  the  Cross,  to  undertake  an  explor- 
ing expedition,  and  fixed  upon  young  Coan,  who 
had  at  once  the  physical  strength  and  the  fervent 
spirit.  Reports  were  conflicting  about  the  country 
and  its  people,  and  the  expedition  promised  to  be 
one  of  a  good  deal  of  adventure,  if  not  of  personal 
danger.  It  might  be  too  much  to  say  that  the  ad- 
venture and  the  danger  were  an  attraction  to  the 
late  captain  of  the  militia   but  they  certainly  did 


Viii  INTRODUCTION. 

not  intimidate  him.  After  due  deliberation,  taking 
counsel  with  his  teachers,  and  with  one  whose  voice 
might  be  more  potent  still,  since  she  was  to  share 
his  life  and  his  fortunes  in  any  quarter  of  the  globe, 
he  accepted  the  appointment,  and  with  a  fellow- 
student  set  out  for  the  extreme  point  of  the  conti- 
nent The  following  pages  contain  the  narrative 
of  his  adventures  in  Patagonia,  which  were  cer- 
tainly full  enough  of  excitement  and  of  danger  to 
satisfy  the  most  ardent  spirit.  A  few  months'  ex- 
perience of  the  wild  country  and  its  untamable  in- 
habitants showed  him  that  the  field  was  not  so 
promising  as  he  had  been  told,  and  he  returned  to 
the  United  States  for  further  orders.  He  then 
married,  and  accompanied  by  his  bride,  set  sail  for 
the  Hawaiian  Islands,  which  through  the  voyages 
of  whaling  ships  had  become  somewhat  known  to 
the  American  public.  There  was  then  no  overland 
route,  nor  short  cut  across  the  Isthmus  of  Panama. 
They  took  the  long  course  around  Cape  Horn,  and 
were  just  six  months  on  the  voyage,  when  they 
came  in  sight  of  the  beautiful  islands  which  were 
to  be  their  home  for  the  rest  of  their  days 

Then  began  that  long  course  of  service  which 
has  few  parallels  in  the  annals  of  missionary  life — ■ 
few  in  the  display  of  fidelity  and  devotion,  "endur- 
ing hardship  as  a  good  soldier,"  and  fewer  still  in 


IN  TROD  UCTION. 


IX 


its  marvellous  successes.  Cast  almost  like  a  ship- 
wrecked voyager  on  a  distant  shore,  among  a 
strange  people,  with  whom  at  first  he  could  only 
communicate  through  signs  or  by  an  interpreter, 
he  set  himself  at  once  to  master  the  language,  and 
so  quickly  did  he  catch  the  words  and  inflections, 
that  in  three  months  he  preached  his  first  sermon 
to  the  natives  in  their  own  tongue.  In  his  inter- 
course with  this  simple  people,  of  whom  he  sought 
to  gain  the  affection  and  confidence,  he  showed  a 
tact  which  was  his  birthright  as  a  son  of  New  Eng- 
land. He  had  a  great  deal  of  mother  wit  and  natural 
shrewdness  and  pleasant  humor,  which  gave  a  charm 
to  his  conversation  even  with  these  untutored  children 
of  nature,  while  his  overflowing  kindness  soon  open- 
ed to  him  the  door  of  every  native's  hut  and  heart. 
Desiring  only  to  do  them  good,  he  tried  to  aid 
them  in  every  way.  He  was  a  little  of  a  doctor, 
knowing  the  remedies  for  the  more  common  dis- 
eases, and,  having  a  chest  of  medicines,  prescribed 
for  the  poor  people  who  were  suffering.  Often  the 
natives  stood  in  great  numbers  on  the  porch  of  his 
dwelling,  with  dusky  arms  outstretched,  waiting  for 
vaccination,  or  for  his  lancet  to  open  a  vein,  that 
by  bleeding  they  might  be  relieved  of  a  burning 
fever.     He  even   performed  graver  surgical  opera- 


X  INTRODUCTIOM. 

tions.  Those  who  had  domestics  troubles  of  any 
kind — wives  who  had  shiftless  husbands,  or  hus- 
bands who  had  termagant  wives — alike  sought  the 
counsel  of  Father  Coan,  who  was  the  general  peace- 
maker. Thus  he  seemed  to  unite  in  himself  the 
duties  of  preacher,  pastor,  and  magistrate,  and  to 
be  at  once  the  teacher,  guide,  and  friend  of  the 
whole  population. 

Nor  were  his  labors  confined  to  the  spot  where 
he  lived.  He  made  missionary  tours  to  other  parts 
of  the  island,  now  sailing  in  a  canoe  along  the  coast, 
and  landing  at  the  different  places  where  he  had 
made  appointments  to  preach,  and  now  climbing 
the  slopes,  which  ascend  in  a  series  of  ridges  towards 
the  mountains  which  make  the  centre  of  the  island. 
In  these  journeys  he  encountered  every  sort  of  hard- 
ship. The  tropical  rains  often  came  down  in  floods, 
converting  in  a  few  hours  a  rocky  gorge  into  a 
foaming  torrent,  which  no  boat  could  cross  and  no 
swimmer  could  stem.  But  here  his  ready  contri- 
vance did  not  desert  him.  Calling  to  the  natives 
on  the  other  bank  to  throw  him  a  rope,  such  as 
they  make  of  the  bark  of  the  hibiscus,  he  seized 
it  with  his  strong  hands,  and  tying  it  around  his 
body,  was  dragged  across. 

Thus  the  fame  of  this  man  of  God  spread  abroad, 
and  wherever  he  went  the  people  "thronged  him.' 


IN  TROD  UCTION. 


Xt 


When  he  could  not  go  to  them  they  came  to  him. 
From  all  parts  of  the  island  they  flocked  to  Hilo. 
"  Whole  villages  gathered  from  many  miles  away, 
and  made  their  homes  near  the  mission  house. 
Within  the  radius  of  a  mile  the  little  cabins  cluster- 
ed thick  as  they  could  stand.  Hilo,  the  village  of 
ten  hundred,  saw  its  population  suddenly  swelled  to 
ten  thousand,  and  here  was  held,  literally,  a  camp 
meeting  of  two  years.  At  any  hour  of  the  day  or 
night  a  tap  of  the  bell  would  bring  together  a  con- 
gregation of  from  three  to  six  thousand.  Meetings 
for  prayer  and  preaching  were  held  daily." 

Congregations  so  vast  and  so  long  continued 
have  not  often  been  assembled  since  Apostolic 
times,  and  the  Spirit  came  down  upon  them  as  on 
the  day  of  Pentecost.  The  preacher  himself  was 
thrilled  by  the  scene,  and  catching  an  inspiration 
from  the  thousands  of  eager  eyes  and  listening  ears, 
felt  lifted  up  with  a  strange  power.  '*  There  was  a 
fire  in  his  bones."  Were  the  congregation  ever  so 
large  and  tumultuous,  it  hushed  at  the  sound  of  his 
voice.  He  said:  "  I  would  rise  before  the  restless, 
noisy  crowd  and  begin.  It  wasn't  long  before  I  felt 
that  I  had  got  hold  of  them.  There  seemed  to  be  a 
chord  of  electricity  binding  them  to  me.  I  knew 
that  I  had  them,  that  they  would  not  go  away.  The 
Spirit  would  hush  them  by  the  truth  till  they  would 


Xii  INTRODUCTION. 

sob  and  cry  '  What  shall  we  do  ? '  and  the  noise  of 
the  weeping  would  be  so  great  that  I  could  not  go 
on." 

As  the  fruit  of  these  remarkable  scenes  a  large 
part  of  the  population  abandoned  heathenism,  and 
professed  to  be  converted  to  the  Christian  faith,  in- 
somuch, that  when  they  came  to  be  baptized,  the 
good  man  was  obliged  to  perform  the  sacred  rite 
for  them  en  masse.  Seizing  a  brush  like  an  asper- 
sariiwi,  and  passing  to  and  fro  among  the  crowded 
rows  of  the  candidates,  he  sprinkled  them  by  scores 
and  hundreds,  pronouncing  over  them  the  name  of 
the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost.  Strange 
as  it  may  seem  to  us,  the  service  did  not  thereby  lose 
any  of  its  solemnity,  but  was  rather  more  impressive 
from  being  done  in  this  grand,  majestic  way,  where- 
as on  a  smaller  scale  it  might  have  lost  by  the  end- 
less repetition.  By  these  immense  additions  the 
church  at  Hilo  grew  till  it  numbered  over  five  thou- 
sand members,  making  the  largest  Protestant  church 
in  the  world. 

Mr.  Coan  and  his  wife  remained  on  the  islands 
thirty-five  years  before  revisiting  their  native  coun- 
try. When  they  came  back  in  1870,  they  found  an- 
other world  than  that  which  they  had  left.  All 
things  had  become  new.  They  had  made  their  out- 
ward voyage  in  a  small  sailing  vessel.     They  re- 


INTRODUCTION.  xiii 

turned  in  a  steamship.  When  they  landed  in  San 
Francisco  they  had  scarcely  seen  a  railroad.  Now 
they  were  whirled  in  fire-drawn  cars  up  the  moun- 
tains and  over  the  plains,  across  the  whole  breadth 
of  the  continent.  The  fame  of  the  missionary  had 
gone  before  him,  and  wherever  he  came  among  the 
churches  he  was  welcomed  with  an  enthusiasm  such 
as  had  not  been  manifested  since  the  heroic  Judson 
came  back  from  Burmah,  years  before.  When  they 
visited  New  York  they  were  guests  in  the  house  of 
the  writer,  where  we  were  charmed  alike  by  the  in- 
telligence, sprightliness,  and  animation  of  the  vet- 
eran missionary,  and  the  sweetness  of  her  who  had 
been  his  faithful  companion  during  his  long  exile. 
It  was  then  that,  as  we  sat  in  the  library,  he  talked 
freely,  though  very  simply  and  modestly,  of  all  the 
way  in  which  God  had  led  him.  Among  other 
things  he  related  his  early  experiences  in  Patagonia, 
and  it  was  perhaps  in  response  to  our  suggestion 
and  that  of  others  that  he  prepared  the  narrative 
which  follows. 

They  returned  the  following  year,  and  when  they 
reached  the  Islands  were  received  by  the  natives 
with  great  demonstrations.  Here  was  to  be  their 
home  for  the  rest  of  their  days.  Two  years  after 
the  wife  and  mother  died,  while  the  father  still  lives 
in  his  eightieth  year — a  hale  and  hearty  old  man. 


Xiv  INTRODUCTION. 

happy  in  the  recollection  of  the  past,  happy  in  the 
good  which  he  has  done  to  the  people  to  whom  he 
has  given  his  life,  and  happy  in  their  tender  and 
affectionate  veneration.  He  cannot  be  expected  to 
continue  long.  In  a  few  more  years  he  will  be  laid 
beside  her  whom  he  so  much  loved.  Though  they 
sleep  far  from  their  native  land,  it  is  not  unmeet 
that  they  should  be  laid  to  rest  in  the  island  for 
which  they  had  done  so  much  ;  on  those  beautiful 
shores  where  the  waters  of  the  Pacific  come  rippling 
and  murmuring  up  the  beach.  Nor  will  their  mem- 
ory depart.  As  long  as  the  generation  that  knew 
them  shall  remain,  the  simple  natives  will  often  visit 
their  graves,  and  recall  their  virtues  with  tears  of 
love  and  gratitude. 

H.  M.  F. 
New  York,  March,  1880. 


PREFACE. 


The  following  notes  of  a  visit  to  Patagonia 
and  the  Falkland  Islands  are  offered  to  the  public 
in  response  to  the  call  of  many  friends  who  de- 
sire to  see  the  simple  narrative  in  print. 

These  sketches  of  daily  life  at  sea  and  among 
the  wild  savages  of  Patagonia  were  written  for 
friends,  and  to  assist  personal  recollections,  and 
are  now  offered  with  dif^dence  simply  as  a  plain 
record  of  facts  and  experiences. 

The  Supplement  is  added  because  the  published 
narratives  of  visitors  and  missionary  toilers  among 
the  Patagonian  and  Fuegian  tribes  have  furnished 
new  facts  concerning  those  dark  realms  since  the 
earlier  part  of  the  book  was  written.  I  have 
therefore  taken  the  liberty  to  quote  from  the 
voyages  of  Admiral  Fitzroy,  Prof.  Charles  Darwin, 
Mr.  Bourne,  and  from  "  The  Story  of  Allen  Gar- 
diner," to  all  of  which  I  am  indebted  for  impor- 
tant   information,    as    I    am   also    to  very  many 


8  PREFACE. 

shipmasters,  officers,  and  private  friends,  whose 
sympathy,  unaffected  courtesy,  and  generous  aid 
were  so  liberally  extended  to  my  companion  and 
to  myself  during  that  memorable  year  of  our 
lives. 

May  Heaven's  blessings  rest  upon  them  all  in 
this  life  and  throughout  the  future ;  and  may  the 
day  be  hastened  when  from  every  mountain-top 
and  from  the  shining  hills  of  heaven  no  "  dark 
places  shall  be  seen  on  earth"  and  no  "  habitations 
of  cruelty" ! 

T.  C. 
HiLO,  Hawaii,  1879. 


MISSION. TO  PATAGONIA. 


CHAPTER  I. 

PREPARATION  TO   SEND  A   MISSSIONARY  EXPLOR- 
ING  EXPEDITION   TO   PATAGONIA. 

While  in  the  Theological  Seminary  at  Au- 
burn, N.  Y.,  the  following  letter  came  to  me  one 
day  in  June,  1833: 

"Missionary  Rooms,  Boston,  June  19,  1833. 

«  Mr.  Titus  Coan, 

"  Theological  Seminary,  Auburn. 
"My  DEAR  Sir:  An  exploring  mission  has 
been  resolved  upon  by  the  Committee,  Providence 
permitting,  on  the  western  coast  of  Patagonia. 
The  vessel  in  which  the  mission  must  go,  if  it  goes 
during  the  present  year,  is  expected  to  sail  on  the 
last  of  July,  and  two  missionaries  can  have  a  free 
passage.     Two  men  ought  by  all  means  to  go,  and 


lO  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

not  one  alone.  One — Mr.  Arms,  of  the  Theologi- 
cal Seminary  of  Andover — has  been  engaged  for 
the  enterprise,  and  another  is  wanted.  It  occur- 
red to  us  that  perhaps  you  were  the  man.  We 
received  your  testimonials,  and  made  inquiries, 
and  the  result  is  that  the  question  has  been 
brought  before  the  Committee,  and  they  have 
unanimously  appointed  you  a  missionary  of  the 
Board,  with  special  reference  to  this  important 
expedition.  Mr.  Arms,  the  bearer  of  this  letter, 
will  explain  to  you  the  nature  of  the  mission. 

"  The  plan  is,  in  brief,  that  two  men,  willing  to 
endure  hardship,  be  landed  on  the  coast,  at  a 
place  which  is  resorted  to  by  sealing  vessels,  and 
spend  a  suitable  time,  probably  a  year  or  more, 
in  travelling;  among  the  tribes  of  that  coast ;  that 
they  shall  ascertain  what  can  be  done  for  them — 
where  a  mission  had  better  be  located,  what 
should  be  the  nature  of  the  mission,  etc. — and  at 
the  same  time  make  arrangements  for  a  mission, 
and  then  come  home  and  report  to  the  Com- 
mittee. As  this  subject  comes  before  you  un- 
awares, and  you  have  but  little  time  to  reflect 
upon  it,  we  do  not  ask  you  to  decide  now  whether 
you  will  ultimately  be  a  member  of  the  Patagonian 
mission. 


THE  PREPARATION,  n 

"  The  Committee  will  cheerfully  leave  this 
question  to  be  determined  at  a  future  time,  in 
view  of  Providential  indications.  The  question 
now  before  you  is,  whether  you  will  accompany 
Mr.  Arms  to  the  Patagonian  coast  and  spend  a 
couple  of  years,  if  necessary,  among  the  Indian 
tribes  of  that  coast?  Of  course  you  will  both 
have  to  go  unmarried.  Mr.  Arms  leaves  an  in- 
tended wife  behind  him,  and  we  understand  that 
your  circumstances  are  similar  to  his.  The  expe- 
dition now  proposed  to  you  is  one  full  of  priva- 
tions; but  it  opens  a  prospect  of  bringing  the 
Gospel  to  the  minds  and  hearts  of  the  poor  de- 
graded natives  of  Patagonia. 

"  Should  you  consent  to  go,  you  will  come  on 
to  Boston  by  the  15th  or  20th  of  July  with  all  the 
necessary  credentials  for  ordination,  unless  the 
Presbytery  with  which  you  are  connected  prefer 
to  ordain  you  themselves,  and  can  do  it  in  season 
for  you  to  be  here  at  the  time  mentioned. 

"  I  beg  you  to  take  this  important  subject  into 
immediate  and  prayerful  consideration.  Let  me 
hear  from  you  as  soon  as  possible.  I  earnestly 
hope  you  will  go.  If  you  do  not,  I  see  not  how 
the  mission  can  go  during  the  present  year. 

"  On  your  arrival  in  Boston  we  will  confer  with 


12  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

you  fully  on  the  subject.     The  Lord  be  with  you, 
my  dear  brother. 

"  Most  truly  yours, 
*'  R.  Anderson, 

'^Scc.A.B.  C.F.Mr 

In  connection  with  the  foregoing  earnest  letter, 
Secretary  Anderson  sent  me  copies  of  a  correspon- 
dence with  Captain  Benjamin  Morrell,  then  in  the 
city  of  New  York.  Captain  Morrell  had  recently 
published  a  v-  n/  attractive  narrative  of  a  cruise 
along  the  eastern  coast  of  Patagonia,  also  through 
the  Magellan  Strait  and  up  the  Pacific  coast  as  far 
as  the  island  of  Chiloe.  In  this  journal  he  had 
given  a  glowing  description  of  the  harbors,  the 
forests,  the  climate,  soil,  clover-meadows,  and  the 
numerous  and  peaceful  inhabitants  of  the  western 
coast  of  Patagonia.  He  had  also  taken  occasion 
to  hint  that  this  coast  would  be  a  favorable  field 
for  missionary  enterprise. 

On  reading  this  fascinating  narrative,  the  Sec- 
retary opened  a  correspondence  with  Captain 
Morrell  in  order  to  ehcit  more  definitely  the 
important  facts  which  would  warrant  sending  an 
expedition  with  the  view  of  establishing  a  mission 
on  that  coast. 


THE  FREPARATION. 


13 


The  following  is  a  copy  of  two  letters  of  Cap- 
tain Morrell  to  Secretary  Anderson  in  answer  to 
letters  of  inquiry  from  the  Secretary. 

"  New  York,  Jan.  24,  1833. 

"  R.  Anderson,  Esq. 

"  Dear  Sir  :  Your  favor  of  the  17th  inst.  is  now 
before  me,  and  it  is  with  no  ordinary  degree  of 
pleasure  that  I  hasten  to  answer  it. 

"  The  interest  you  have  taken  in  the  temporal 
and  eternal  welfare  of  the  now  wretched  and  de- 
graded natives  of  an  unexplored  region  on  the 
western  coast  of  South  America,  between  the 
Strait  of  Magellan  and  the  Archipelago  of  Chiloe, 
has  been  highly  gratifying  to  my  feelings ;  and 
not  the  less  so,  I  assure  you,  from  your  having 
derived  the  idea  from  the  humble  narrative  I  have 
just  laid  before  the  public.  The  harmless  and  in- 
offensive race  of  beings  here  alluded  to  are  the 
migratory  inhabitants  of  a  country  which  is  bless- 
ed with  the  most  temperate  climate,  the  richest 
soil,  and  the  finest  harbors  on  the  face  of  the  globe. 
It  is  true  that  at  present  these  natives  are  more 
ignorant  and  debased  than  any  other  I  have  ever 
visited  ;  but  it  is  equally  true  that  they  are  entire- 
ly free  from  many  of  the  sensualities  of  the  more 
enlightened,  and  are  characterized  by  a  mildness 


14 


ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 


of  disposition  and  a  child-like  simplicity  of  man- 
ners which  in  my  humble  opinion  renders  them  fit 
subjects  for  missionary  labor.  They  are  ignorant 
of  the  simplest  rudiments  of  agriculture,  never 
dreaming  that  the  luxuriant  soil  of  their  beautiful 
country  would  grant  new  favors  to  their  slightest 
solicitation.  Should  heaven  so  far  sanction  the 
benevolent  feelings  which  originated  this  corre- 
spondence as  to  enable  your  Society  to  establish  a 
Christian  mission  among  these  children  of  nature, 
I  have  no  hesitation  in  saying  that  a  very  few 
years  would  change  their  idle  habits  and  wretched 
condition  to  those  of  comparative  usefulness  and 
happiness ;  while  such  a  result  would  richly  and 
amply  reward  me  for  all  the  time,  labor,  and  per- 
sonal hazards  I  have  encountered  in  collecting  the 
information  I  have  published  respecting  them. 

"  In  answering  the  series  of  questions  you 
have  done  me  the  honor  to  propose,  I  shall  beg 
leave  to  take  them  up  in  my  own  homely  way  and 
dispatch  them  in  numerical  order. 

"  The  peninsula  of  Tres  Montes,  in  my  opin- 
ion, is  not  the  most  eligible  location  on  this  coast 
for  the  establishment  of  a  Protestant  mission,  on 
account  of  its  proximity  to  the  Catholic  missions 
further  north. 


THE  PREPARATION.  15 

**  For  reasons  which  will  presently  appear,  I 
would  in  preference  designate  the  Guanaco  Isl- 
ands, or  that  section  of  the  continent  near  which 
they  lie,  say  lat.  47°  south. 

"  The  locating  a  similar  establishment  in  any 
part  of  Magellan's  Strait  ought  to  depend  on  the 
success  or  failure  of  the  project  under  considera- 
tion. 

"  I  think  that  the  Spanish  States  of  South 
America  would  rather  protect  than  seek  to  dis- 
turb a  mission  at  the  Guanaco  Islands,  because 
neither  they  nor  the  mother-country  have  ever 
conquered  or  asserted  any  claim  to  territories 
south  of  Chiloe. 

"  The  natives  I  believe  would  treat  the  mission- 
aries witfrthe  greatest  kindness  and  respect. 

*'  The  Guanaco  Islands,  you  are  aware,  are  sit- 
uated a  short  distance  from  the  mainland,  the 
northern  island  being  in  lat.  47°  31'  S.,  Ion.  75° 
4'  W.  The  most  of  these  islands  are  of  consider- 
able extent,  with  spacious  harbors  between  them. 
Their  surface  is  low  and  level,  partly  covered  with 
heavy  timber,  and  on  many  of  them  there  are  beau- 
tiful plains  of  sufBcient  extent  to  raise  produce  the 
first  season  for  several  thousand  natives  ;  nothing 
more  being  required  than  to  run  a  plough  through  a 


l6  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

rich,  mellow  soil  and  cover  the  seed  with  the  fur- 
rows. These  plains  are  now  covered  with  fine 
long  grass,  heavy  clover,  and  extensive  patches  of 
celery,  surrounded  by  lofty  forests  of  various  kinds 
of  excellent  ship  timber, 

"  The  waters  abound  with  a  great  variety  of  the 
finest  scale-fish,  which  may  be  taken  in  any  quan- 
tities either  with  a  seine  or  hook  and  line.  Nu- 
merous kinds  of  shell-fish  are  found  on  the  shores, 
as  well  as  sea-otters  and  seals. 

"  The  forests  are  teeming  with  a  great  variety 
of  beautiful  birds,  and  the  mainland  abounds  in 
lions,  guanacos,  deer,  hare,  foxes,  otter  and  many 
other  valuable  animals.  Minerals,  drugs,  etc.,  are 
doubtless  to  be  found  in  the  interior. 

"  A  few  black  cattle,  sheep,  goats,  hogs,  and 
poultry,  turned  out  on  those  islands  that  were  not 
to  be  immediately  devoted  to  tillage,  would  in- 
crease and  multiply  and  soon  replenish  them. 

"  The  natives  that  inhabit  the  sea-coast  are  all 
travelling  tribes,  subsisting  entirely  on  fish  and 
such  wild  animals  as  they  can  procure,  having  no 
substitute  for  bread. 

"Yours  truly, 

"  Benj.  Morrell." 


THE  PREPARATION.  1 7 

"New  York,  Feb.  25,  1833. 

"  R.  Anders  ON,  Esq. 

"Dear  Sir:  Yours  of  the  21st  inst.  came  duly 
to  hand  and  is  now  before  me. 

"  In  reply  to  your  first  question,  I  can  state  from 
my  own  personal  and  frequent  experience  that 
the  climate  south  of  the  equator  in  any  given  degree 
of  latitude  between  30°  and  55°  is  neither  so  cold 
in  winter  nor  so  warm  in  summer  as  in  the  same 
degrees  of  N.  lat.  Inlat.  47°  there  is  seldom  any 
snow  in  the  valleys.  The  storms  are  not  more 
frequent  nor  more  severe  than  in  New  England. 

"  The  number  of  natives  between  lat.  47°  and 
50°  I  take  to  be  about  20,000.  They  sojourn  in 
one  place  till  they  have  exhausted  the  shell-fish, 
and  then  remove  to  another.  They  have  no  tame 
animals  except  dogs.  Interpreters  can  be  ob- 
tained at  Chiloe  who  understand  their  language 
and  will  translate  it  into  Spanish. 

"  The  natives  are  honest  and  will  respect  private 
property.  The  coast  can  be  traversed  with  safety 
in  canoes ;  but  to  penetrate  into  the  interior 
horses  will  be  necessary,  which  must  be  taken 
from  the  United  States. 

"  In  closing  this  hasty  communication  I  beg 
leave  to  express  the  satisfaction  I  feel  in  yourhav- 


l8  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

ing  taken  this  interesting  subject  into  considera- 
tion, and  trust  that  your  exertions  in  behalf  of  the 
benighted  heathen  will  meet  a  due  reward.  Under 
such  a  hope,  I  subscribe  myself, 

"Yours  truly, 

"  Benj.  Morrell." 

It  will  be  seen  that  these  letters  of  Captain  Mor- 
rell embrace  answers  to  many  specific  questions 
addressed  to  him  by  the  Secretary  of  the  American 
Board  of  Commissioners  for  Foreign  Missions. 

In  order  to  increase  information  on  the  subject 
which  now  engaged  the  earnest  attention  of  the 
Prudential  Committee  of  the  Board,  the  Secretary 
addressed  a  letter  of  inquiry  to  Silas  E.  Burrows, 
Esq.,  of  New  York  City,  as  Mr.  Burrows  was  the 
owner  of  several  vessels  engaged  in  sealing  along 
the  coasts  of  Patagonia  and  among  the  islands  of 
Tierra  del  Fuego,  and  as  Captain  Morrell  had  been 
engaged  in  his  service.  Mr.  Burrows  had  also 
been  on  the  Pacific  coast  as  far  as  Chili,  and  it  was 
hoped  that  he  might  know  something  of  the 
country  and  tribes  described  by  Captain  Morrell. 
This  letter  Mr.  Burrows  answered  promptly,  and 
with  characteristic  enthusiasm  ;  and  although  he 
was  unable  to  add  any  information  to  that  of  his 


THE  rREPARAriOX.  ^^ 

Captain,  yet  he  full}'  endorsed  his  high  character 
and  assured  the  Secretary  that  the  Missionary 
Board  might  place  implicit  confidence  in  his  sta'te- 
ments. 

Mr.  Burrows  furthermore  stated  that  he  was 
then  fitting  out  a  sealing  schooner,  the  jNIary  Jane, 
to  sail  from  New  York  City  in  July,  and  that 
he  would  be  most  happy  to  give  a  free  passage 
in  said  schooner  to  two  young  gentlemen  who 
might  desire  to  explore  on  the  western  coast  of 
Patagonia.  He  also  stated  that  he  would  instruct 
the  master  of  the  Mary  Jane,  Captain  William 
Clift,  to  look  well  to  the  missionaries,  to  land 
them  at  any  points  on  the  coast  where  they  de- 
sired to  explore,  and  to  return  them  to  the 
United  States  at  the  end  of  the  voyage. 

Up  to  this  point  all  things  looked  favorable, 
and  the  voice  of  Providence  seemed  to  say,  "  Go 
forzvard."  With  these  letters  and  testimonials 
Mr.  Arms  was  sent  b)'  the  Committee  from  Bos- 
ton to  Auburn,  to  converse  with  me,  and  to  urge, 
if  necessary,  my  acceptance  of  the  appointment 
as  an  exploring  missionary  to  Patagonia. 

I  had  just  returned  from  Rochester,  where  I 
had  supplied  the  pulpit  of  one  of  the  pastors  dur- 
ing vacation.     About  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning 


20  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

these  communications  were  put  into  my  hands 
for  consideration.  I  was  then  entering  on  my 
last  term  in  the  Theological  Seminary.  At  its 
close  I  was  engaged  to  marry  Miss  Fidelia  Church, 
and  I  hoped  to  go  with  her  as  a  missionary  to  some 
foreign  land.  We  had  been  betrothed  for  years, 
and  this  call,  if  accepted,  would  throw  a  cloud 
over  the  prospects  of  our  union  for  a  long  time 
at  least,  perhaps  forever. 

But  the  question  must  be  met,  and  met  imme- 
diately. It  was  now  late  in  June,  and  the  vessel 
bound  to  Patagonia  was  to  sail  before  the  close 
of  July;  and  if  I  failed,  the  expedition  must  fail 
for  that  year  at  least,  as  it  was  deemed  impossi- 
ble to  find  another  man  to  take  the  place  in  due 
season. 


CHAPTER  11. 

THE     DECISION. 

I  CALLED  on  Dr.  Richards,  President  of  the 
Seminar)',  put  the  papers  into  his  hands,  and 
requested  him  to  confer  with  Drs.  Perrine  and 
Mills,  the  other  members  of  the  Faculty,  and 
give  me  advice. 

The  Professors  met  by  call,  and  soon  the  ven- 
erable Dr.  Richards,  with  brimming  eyes,  reported 
that,  as  the  voice  of  God  seemed  to  call  me  to 
this  service,  they  could  not  object  to  my  going ; 
that,  while  they  did  not  feel  at  liberty  to  give  me 
positive  advice,  they  approved  of  the  proposed 
Patagonian  mission,  and  that,  should  I  decide  to 
go,  their  prayers  should  go  with  me,  and  that  I 
should  have  an  honorable  release  from  the  further 
duties  of  the  Seminary. 

Thus  another  door  was  opened  and  another 
voice  seemed  to  say,  "  Go'' 

News  of  this  call  spread  quickly  through  the 
Seminary,  and  many  of  the  students  rushed  to 


22  ADVENTURES  EV  PATAG0NL4. 

my  room  to  inquire.  Some  with  tears  entreated 
me  not  to  go,  with  language  hke  this :  "  The 
Patagonians  are  ferocious  cannibals ;  they  will  kill 
and  eat  you.  You  have  no  right  to  throw  away 
your  life,  as  you  are  now  just  prepared  to  labor 
in  the  vineyard." 

Others  said,  "  Go,  brother;  the  Lord  will  go 
with  you,  and  nothing  shall  harm  you  ;  for  Jesus 
has  said,  '  Lo,  I  am  with  you  alway.' "  As  I  was 
then  busy  in  preparing  to  leave  Auburn,  the 
brethren  were  requested  to  come  to  my  room 
at  5  P.  M.,  when  I  would  be  ready  and  happy 
to  see  all  who  would  do  me  the  favor  to  call. 
During  that  hour  the  room  was  crowded,  con- 
versation was  free,  prayer  was  offered,  and  tearful 
farewells  and  benedictions  uttered. 

At  nine  o'clock  of  the  evening  of  the  day  on 
which  the  Boston  letters  came  to  hand  the  stage 
for  Rochester  was  before  the  Seminary  door,  and 
I  took  my  seat  for  the  night.  Early  the  next 
morning  I  was  in  Rochester,  where  I  had  left 
my  espoused  but  a  few  days  before. 

She  was  at  breakfast  when  I  entered  her  house. 
After  salutations  I  took  breakfast  with  the  fam- 
ily; then  came  morning  prayc:rs,  during  all  which 
time  nothing  had  been  said  as  to  why  I  had  re- 


THE   DECISION.  23 

turned  so  soon  to  Rochester.  All  was  mystery 
to  Miss  Church  and  her  friends. 

After  prayers  we  retired  to  a  separate  room, 
and  I,  without  a  word  of  explanation,  put  Dr. 
Anderson's  letter  into  her  hands.  As  she  read, 
her  emotion  deepened,  her  tears  flowed.  What 
a  change  of  situation !  What  an  uprooting  of 
fondly  and  long  cherished  hopes !  For  seven 
years  we  had  waited,  and  now  only  three  or  four 
months  remained  before  our  nuptials  were  to  be 
celebrated,  and  we  were  to  go  forth  into  some 
foreign  field,  to  toil,  to  suffer,  and  to  rejoice  to- 
gether in  the  vineyard  of  our  Master.  For  a 
minute  she  was  dumb.  The  struggle  was  intense. 
Soon,  however,  faith  gained  the  victory.  That 
full  consecration  which,  long  before,  she  had  made 
to  her  Master  and  Lord  assumed  its  power ;  her 
soul  rose  from  the  stern  conflict  of  emotion — of 
hope  def<;rred,  perhaps  slain.  She  took  my  hand 
and  said,  "■  JMy  dear,  you  must  goT 

This  settled  the  question.  There  was  no  look- 
ing back.  Another  door  was  opened,  and  again 
the  voice  seemed  to  say,  "  Go  forivardy 

Henceforth  it  was  preparation  in  earnest.  I 
spent  a  few  days  in  visiting  friends  in  Western 
New  York  with  Miss  Church;  then  came  a  ten- 


24 


ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 


der  farewell,  she  returning  to  Rochester,  while  I 
hastened  on  to  Boston.  There  I  met  Mr.  Arms, 
my  companion  in  the  enterprise  ;  and  on  Sunday- 
evening,  July  28th,  1833,  we  were  ordained  in 
Park  Street  Church.  On  the  29th  we  received 
our  instructions  for  the  Patagonian  expedition 
from  the  Prudential  Committee  of  the  A.  B.  C, 
F.  M.,  in  the  house  of  the  venerable  chairman, 
the  Hon.  S.  Hubbard. 

All  things  being  now  ready,  we  took  passage 
for  New  York  to  embark  for  Patagonia. 

In  order  to  assist  us  in  any  further  necessary 
preparations,  Mr.  Henry  Hill,  Treasurer  of  the 
Missionary  Board,  accompanied  us  to  New  York, 
He  also  furnished  us  with  ample  letters  of  credit 
on  banking  houses  in  Valparaiso  and  London, 
and  the  Secretary  of  the  Board  gave  us  letters  of 
introduction  to  the  commodore  commanding  the 
U.  S.  squadron  on  the  Pacific  station. 

This  was  precautionary,  in  case  we  should  find 
it  necessary  to  reach  Valparaiso  in  order  to  obtain 
passage  to  the  United  States,  and  perhaps  via 
England  or  France. 

On  our  arrival  in  New  York  we  were  met  by 
the  Rev.  David  Green,  one  of  the  secretaries  of 
the  American  Board,  who  had  just  returned  from 


THE  DECISION. 


25 


a  visit  to  the  Cherokee  Mission  ;  also  by  the  Hon. 
Pelatiah  Perit,  a  corporate  member  of  the  Board  ; 
by  Mr.  Silas  E.  Burrows,  owner  of  the  Mary 
Jane  and  patron  of  the  Patagonian  mission  ;  by 
Captain  William  Clift,  of  Mystic,  Connecticut,  the 
Master  of  the  Mary  Jane;  and  by  many  others 
of  the  friends  and  patrons  of  Christian  missions. 

And  now  came  a  shock  of  disappointment. 
Captain  Clift  assured  us  that  the  ofificers  of  the 
Board  had  been  misled  by  the  recently  published 
book  of  Captain  Morrell.  He  denied  the  state- 
ments as  to  the  fine  climate,  the  beautiful  lands, 
the  luxuriant  meadows  of  clover,  the  considerable 
number  of  the  inhabitants,  their  quiet  habits  and 
their  amiable  disposition. 

In  confirmation  of  his  denial  he  stated  that  he 
had  sailed  up  and  down  the  whole  western  coast 
of  Patagonia  several  times ;  had  seen  the  bays, 
channels,  islands,  the  mainland,  and  the  natives ; 
that  he  had  sealed  from  the  western  entrance  of 
Magellan's  Strait  to  the  island  of  Chiloe,  and  that 
the  description  of  that  coast  by  Captain  Morrell 
was  far  from  being  correct.  Captain  Clift  de- 
scribed the  coast  as  broken,  mountainous,  wild, 
and  the  climate  as  often  stormy.  The  ravines, 
headlands,  cliffs,  spurs,  and  precipitous  sea-walls. 


26.  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

he  said,  rendered  travelling  by  land  along  the 
shore  impossible,  and  by  sea  in  a  boat  very  diffi- 
cult and  dangerous. 

"  As  for  the  inhabitants,"  said  Captain  Clift, 
"  they  amount  to  only  a  few  scores,  and  these  are 
the  most  wretched  and  squalid  creatures  I  have 
ever  seen  in  human  form :  small  in  size,  nearly 
naked,  having  only  the  protection  of  a  piece  of 
seal-skin  hung  over  the  windward  shoulder,  and 
turning  this  from  side  to  side  as  their  canoes 
tacked  or  the  wind  changed.  They  live  most 
of  the  time  in  canoes,  paddling  from  rock  to  rock, 
and  subsisting  on  shell-fish,  seals,  and  dead  whales 
which  sometimes  drift  on  shore."  He  added  that 
there  were  no  villages,  or  settlements  of  Indian 
tribes,  along  that  whole  coast ;  that  the  natives 
had  no  idea  of  agriculture,  and  that  the  land  was 
unfit  for  tillage  ;  in  short,  that  it  was  the  most 
dreary  and  inhospitable  coast  imaginable. 

These  statements  were  corroborated  by  the  tes- 
timony of  a  number  of  masters,  officers,  and  sailors 
who  had  been  up  and  down  that  coast  on  sealing 
expeditions;  and  the  testimony  of  Captain  King, 
of  the  British  navy,  who  once  surveyed  that  coast, 
was  substantially  the  same. 

Furthermore,   Captain   Clift  said    that  on  the 


THE  DECISION, 


27 


present  voyage  he  should  not  visit  that  coast  at 
all ;  that  he  would  enter  the  Strait  of  Magellan, 
and  seal  among  the  lagoons,  inlets,  channels,  rocks, 
and  numerous  islets  of  Tierra  del  Fuego  ;  that 
to  take  the  missionaries  to  the  west  coast  of  Pat- 
agonia would  change  the  w'hole  plan  of  his  voy- 
age, and  probably  make  it  an  entire  failure ;  and 
that  to  land  us  where  we  were  instructed  to  go, 
to  look  after  us  along  that  coast,  and  to  pledge 
himself  to  take  us  off  and  return  us  to  the  Unit- 
ed States  when  our  explorations  were  ended, 
was  out  of  the  question.  He  also  said  that  to 
land  and  leave  us  there,  without  care  or  means  of 
escape,  would  be  but  to  abandon  us  to  a  cruel 
death. 

All  this  put  a  new  and  dark  aspect  on  the  Pat- 
agonian  mission.  What  could  be  done  ?  Must 
we  go  back  to  Boston  ?  Must  we  acknowledge 
failure,  return  our  instructions,  and  seek  another 
field  of  labor? 

This  seemed  like  '^putting  the  hand  to  the 
plough  and  looking  back."  We  looked  at  one 
another,  but  all  was  blank.  We  looked  to  the 
Lord  for  guidance,  and  in  half  an  hour  the  prob- 
lem was  solved. 

Captain  Clift  said, ''  Gentlemen,  if  you  wish  to 


28  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

go  to  Easterji  Patagonia,  I  will  take  you  into  the 
Strait  of  Magellan  and  land  you  on  the  north 
shore,  among  the  Horse  Indians,  and  then  pursue 
my  voyage,  which  may  be  one  or  two  years.  My 
object  is  to  fiH  my  vessel  with  seal-skins,  whether 
the  time  be  longer  or  shorter.  Should  you  be  on 
the  shore,  where  I  can  reach  you,  when  I  return,  I 
will  take  you  home,  but  more  than  this  I  cannot 
promise." 

Our  instructions  from  the  Prudential  Committee 
had  cautioned  us  to  avoid,  if  possible,  getting 
among  the  Eastern  Patagonians,  as  they  were  re- 
puted to  be  fierce  savages  of  gigantic  size,  and  can- 
nibals withal. 

Captain  Clift  said,  "  They  are  hard  fellows  ;  but 
vessels  passing  through  the  Strait  sometimes  trade 
with  them  unharmed." 

The  question  was  now  reduced  to  this :  to  go 
among  the  Eastern  Patagonians,  under  the  con- 
ditions above  stated,  or  to  abandon  the  mission 
for  the  present  at  least,  if  not  altogether. 

A  council  of  the  members  and  friends  of  the 
American  Board  then  present  in  New  York  was 
held.  After  prayer  and  due  consultation,  the  fol- 
lowing question  was  put  to  the  young  mission- 
aries:     "  Are  you  willing,  in  \'iew  of  all  the  cir- 


THE  DECISION. 


29 


cumstances  and  conditions  of  the  case,  to  go  to 
Eastern  Patagonia  ?"  The  reply  was,  promptly, 
"  Yes." 

The  meeting  then  voted  unanimously  to  ap- 
prove of  our  desire  to  embark  on  this  untried 
enterprise. 

After  renewed  prayers,  in  which  the  mission- 
aries and  the  cause  were  tenderly  commended  to 
the  grace  of  God,  the  meeting  was  dissolved,  and 
the  missionaries  at  once  set  about  finishing  their 
preparations  for  sailing  from  New  York. 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE   EMBARKATION. 

Having  completed  our  outfit,  written  our  last 
letters  to  distant  correspondents,  and  bidden 
adieu  to  many  kind  and  faithful  friends  in  New 
York,  we  went  on  board  the  little  schooner 
Mary  Jane  on  the  i6th  of  August,  1833,  and 
sailed  for  one  of  "  the  ends  of  the  earth." 

From  my  journal  of  our  voyage  to  Patagonia 
I  make  extracts  : 

SchooJier  Mary  Jane,  off  Sandy  Hook,  Aug.  16, 
1833. — By  the  good  hand  of  God,  our  voyage  to  the 
far  South  is  now  commenced.  We  have  bidden 
smiling  and  weeping  friends  farewell.  The  city, 
with  its  turrets  and  towers  and  lofty  spires,  has 
faded  in  the  distance.  Its  busy  hum  is  hushed. 
With  favoring  breeze  and  pilot  at  the  helm,  our 
little  bark  has  sped  down  the  channel,  and  now 
the  great  ocean  opens  on  our  sight.  The  sun  is 
setting  behind  the  western  hills  of  my  beloved 
country.  The  wind  has  died  away.  A  placid 
calmness  rests  on  the  deep. 


THE  EMBAKKATIOX. 


31 


Captain  Clift  calls  all  hands,  exhorts  them  to 
observe  the  rules  of  morality,  and  to  obey  orders 
promptly  and  cheerfully.  He  then  invited  one  of 
us  to  offer  up  prayer  to  Almighty  God. 

Aug.  17.  We  slept — and  awaked.  But  the  city, 
the  islands,  the  Bay,  the  headlands,  the  conti- 
nent with  all  its  distant  hills,  have  disappeared  like 
a  "vision  of  the  night  '  AH  is  ocean  around  and 
under  us,  and  our  little  cockle-shell  is  ploughing  a 
white  foaming  furrow  along  the  bosom  of  the 
deep. 

On  the  1 8th  we  had  a  heavy  gale.  Our  light 
shallop  danced  and  leaped  and  staggered,  and 
plunged  like  a  mermaid  into  the  foaming  billows, 
and  like  a  duck  or  a  swan  received  the  spray  and 
the  leaping  waves  upon  her  deck.  We  were  in 
the  Gulf-stream,  and  were  severely  handled  for 
several  days,  shipping  heavy  seas,  but  coming  out 
well. 

Sept.  7— lat.  34°  II'  N.,  Ion.  29°  12'  W.  We 
have  had  both  stormy  and  fair  weather  ;  have 
sighted  one  ship  and  one  brig,  but  were  not  able 
to  speak  to  them.  We  have  religious  services  on 
board  when  the  weather  is  good,  and  a  part  of 
the  crew  seem  attentive  and  thoughtful.  Some 
retire  to  quiet  places  on  deck  to  read  the   Bible 


32 


ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 


and  religious  books  and  tracts,  and  to  converse. 
Others  are  hard  and  heathenish.  A  few  seem  re- 
solved to  reform  and  lead  new  lives. 

Our  sympathies  are  much  moved  for  a  young 
sailor  whose  name  is  Charles  Palmer,  of  N.  Y. 
City.  He  says  that  he  is  a  member  of  Dr.  Phillips' 
church,  of  N.  Y.,  but  that  becoming  somewhat 
thoughtless  he  shipped  on  board  the  Mary  Jane 
without  the  consent  of  his  parents.  For  this  he 
is  now  very  sorry,  as  he  is  often  attacked  with 
fearful  cramps  and  convulsions,  attended  with 
delirium.  Mr.  Arms,  having  studied  medicine, 
administers  anti-spasmodics  and  sedatives;  and 
during  these  attacks  I  give  up  my  berth  to  him, 
and  sleep  on  the  transom.  He  seems  grateful  for 
these  cares. 

Sept.  22.  On  ascending  to  the  deck  this  morn- 
ing we  were  surprised  to  find  our  little  vessel 
among  the  Cape  de  Verde  Islands,  and  close  under 
the  lee  of  tlic  island  Brava.  A  noble  brig  lay  at 
anchor  in  the  bay,  floating  the  "  stars  and  stripes," 
Soon  a  boat  came  alongside,  when  we  learned 
that  the  vessel  was  the  Susan  Elizabeth,  Cap- 
tain Davis,  of  Boston,  bound  to  Rio  de  Janeiro. 
This  was  the  first  vessel  we  had  spoken,  though 
we  had  sighted  five  sails  on  our  way.     We  glided 


THE  EMBARKATION. 


ZZ 


slowly  away  from  the  Cape  de  Verdes  without 
anchoring  or  landing,  and  soon  lost  sight  of  land. 

Oct.  6.  Captain  Clift  and  Mr.  Burrows,  the 
mate,  hunted  the  heavens  and  the  sea  to-day  for 
our  latitude,  but  could  find  none.  They  found 
20°  of  longitude.  For  50  days  we  have  been  striv- 
ing hard  to  consiunc  our  latitude,  and  it  has  just  left 
us,  but  we  shall  struggle  again  to  gain  more  than 
we  have  lost.  We  wish  to  make  52°  from  the  great 
Southern  Hemisphere.  We  have  glided  smoothly 
over  the  equator  without  feeling  a  jar,  and,  better 
still,  that  slimy  old  rascal,  Neptune,  has  not 
boarded  us  with  his  razor  and  slush-pot  and 
brush  ;  nor  has  Bacchus  intruded  with  bottle  and 
song  and  revelry.  May  these  sea-monsters  sink 
forever  in  the  deep! 

Oct.  9 — lat.  6°  S.      For  54  days  we   have  been 

pursuing  the  sun  as  he  has  been  moving  south  on 

his  blazing  car.     To-day  we  have  overtaken  him, 

and  he  looks  down  upon  us  from  the  zenith  of  his 

glory,  flooding  us  with  his  vertical  rays.     Now  we 

could  truly  say  : 

"  Your  form  no  darkling  shadow  throws 
Across  the  vessel's  deck." 

We  shall  now  run  south  of  the  sun  for  a  long 
time,  and  may  often  long  for  his  nearer  visits. 


34  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

How  our  little  planet  swings  and  changes  position  ! 
The  great  Northern  Hemisphere,  with  all  its  gol- 
den constellations,  seems  to  be  dipping,  while  the 
Southern  rises  and  hangs  out  its  shining  lamps  to 
guide  our  pathway  over  the  dark  abyss  of  waters. 

The  Southern  Cross,  also,  rises  higher  and  high- 
er to  remind  us  of  the  Sacrifice  and  of  our  great 
errand  into  the  wild  and  dreary  realms  of  the 
South. 

Oct.  12 — lat.  14°  15'  S.  Our  speed  is  now  200 
miles  a  day.  One  .of  the  Magellan  clouds  is  in 
full  view,  hanging  about  10  degrees  above  the 
horizon.  The  appearance  of  this  nebula  is  like 
that  of  the  galaxy,  and  it  is,  no  doubt,  formed  by 
the  blended  rays  of  unnumbered  stars. 

Our  seasons  are  now  all  reversed.  We  are  in 
the  midst  of  an  opening  spring,  while  the  blasts 
of  autumn  are  sweeping  over  the  North.  It 
seems  odd  to  look  north  for  the  sun,  and  to  see 
our  tiny  shadows  fall  southward. 

Oct.  15.  Land  ho!  At  daylight  our  good 
captain  awoke  us  to  see  the  island  of  Trinidad, 
in  lat.  20°  28'  S.  Before  sunrise  we  also  made 
the  islands  of  Martin  Vas,  four  in  number,  lying 
9  leagues  east  of  Trinidad. 

These  islets  are  rough,  rocky  heaps  of  volcanic 


THE   EM  BARK  A  TION. 


35 


products  rising  abruptly  from  the  ocean  to  the 
height  of  several  hundred  feet,  sterile  and  unin- 
habited except  by  a  few  goats  and  many  sea- 
birds.  We  did  not  land,  and  before  noon  all  terra 
firina  had  sunk  below  the  horizon. 

Oct.  23 — lat.  34°  3'  S.  We  had  a  rousing  gale 
on  the  20th,  with  drenching  rain  and  boisterous 
sea.  Since  then  we  have  had  variable  weather, 
but  have  run  rapidly  on  our  course. 

Birds  of  the  "  south  seas"  gather  thick  about 
us.  The  lively  little  stormy- petrel,  called  by 
sailors  "  Mother  Gary's  Chickens,"  and  the  Cape 
pigeons  are  very  numerous  and  sportive.  The 
soaring  mollemoke  {Proccllaria  glacialis)  and 
the  proud  albatross  {Diomcdia  cxnlans)  sail  grace- 
fully above  and  around  us,  often  lighting  and 
dancing  on  the  rolling  waves.  The  albatross  is 
very  large,  often  measuring  from  12  to  13  feet 
from  tip  to  tip  of  his  outspread  wings. 

On  the  25th  and  26th  we  were  visited  by  a 
storm  of  wind,  rain,  and  thunder  more  terrible 
than  any  that  we  had  experienced.  The  night  was 
dark,  the  rain  poured  in  torrents,  the  tempest 
howled  through  the  strained  rigging,  and  ever 
and  anon  the  thunderbolts  from  the  black  and 
swirlincf  clouds  came  with  a  crash   which   seemed 


^6  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

to  rend  the  heavens,  causing  the  "  poor  sailors  to 
stand  amazed  and  quiver,"  while  the  blazing  light- 
ning seemed  to  set  the  clouds  on  fire  and  revealed 
the  angiy  billows  of  the  ocean  rolling  in  sublime 
majesty  and  threatening  to  swallow  up  our  bark 
with  all  on  board. 

How  strikingly  we  were  reminded  of  the  sub- 
lime language  of  the  royal  psalmist :  "  The  Lord 
sitteth  king  upon  the  floods.  The  voice  of  the 
Lord  is  upon  the  waters  ;  the  God  of  glory  thun- 
dereth ;  the  Lord  is  upon  many  waters"  ! 

On  the  27th  the  storm  had  subsided,  and  the 
day  was  quiet.  We  saw  whales,  porpoises,  and 
sea-fowls,  great  and  small,  in  abundance.  On  the 
28th  almost  a  dead  calm  attended  us,  and  multi- 
tudes of  birds  gathered  around  us.  By  feeding 
them  we  drew  a  large  family  within  a  fathom  of 
our  vessel.  There  was  something  social  and 
domestic  in  the  sight  of  this  brood,  and  it  af- 
forded us  no  little  amusement  to  see  the  dexterity 
with  which  they  dived  after  pieces  of  meat  thrown 
to  them. 

Oct.  31.  After  another  gale  more  severe  than 
any  I  have  hitherto  recorded  on  this  voyage,  we 
are  able  again  to  use  our  pens  to  tell  of  "  the 
works  of  the  Lord  and  his  wonders  in  the  deep." 


THE  EM  BARK  A  TION. 


37 


During  the  night  of  the  28th,  in  lat.  40°  S., 
long.  53°  W.,  the  wind  returned  in  fresh  strength 
and  continued  to  increase  until  morning,  when  it 
proved  to  be  a  terrific  pampero,  blowing  directly 
from  the  great  pampas  of  S.  America.  Amidst 
the  roar  of  the  wind  the  stern  command  of  the 
captain  was  heard,  "All  hands  ahoy!"  and  in  two 
minutes  all  hands  were  on  deck  making  every- 
thing as  secure  as  possible. 

All  the  sails  were  furled,  except  the  head  of 
the  foresail,  just  enough  to  make  the  vessel  feel 
the  helm. 

Under  this  small  piece  of  canvas  the  vessel  was 
put  before  the  wind,  which  blew  from  the  SW., 
and  made  to  stand  to  the  NE.,  which  was  going 
directly  back  over  the  ground  we  had  passed. 
Soon  the  gale  increased  into  a  fearful  hurricane, 
and  the  angry  waves  assumed  a  more  threatening 
aspect,  continually  boarding  us  from  every  quar- 
ter and  threatening  to  engulf  us. 

Scudding  now  became  unsafe,  as  the  danger  of 
broaching  to,  upsetting,  and  sinking  was  immi- 
nent. 

For  hours  no  man  on  board  but  the  captain 
dared  touch  the  helm.  The  chief  mate  was  a 
man  of  iron  frame,  but  he  shrank  from  the  helm 


38  ADVENTURES  IX  PATAGONIA. 

in  dismay,  and  there  stood  the  brave  master— an 
excellent  seaman — breasting  the  roaring  tempest 
and  fighting  the  foaming  billows  until  his  strength 
was  nearly  exhausted,  when,  with  admirable  skill 
and  resolution,  he  succeeded  in  "  heaving  to"  the 
drenched  and  laboring  bark.  The  day  was  dark 
and  fearful,  the  wind  increasing  every  hour.  The 
conflict  of  the  elements  exceeded  anything  we 
had  ever  seen.  The  roar  of  the  winds,  the  tower- 
ing of  the  waves,  the  reeling  and  creaking  and 
trembling  of  the  vessel,  the  giving  way  of  spars 
and  rigging,  the  breaking  of  railings  and  bulwarks, 
and  the  hoarse  voice  of  command  from  the 
olificers,  all  bespoke  a  scene  of  confusion,  of  awe, 
and  of  peril  which  none  can  understand  but  those 
who  have  witnessed  a  tempest  at  sea.  All  day 
long  on  the  29th  the  wind  seemed  to  increase  in 
strength  and  fury,  and  the  waves  rolled  in  sub- 
lime grandeur.  Every  succeeding  billow  as  it 
approached  our  little  bark  looked  as  if  it  must  go 
over  us,  but,  coming  under  the  bows  and  passing 
away  at  the  stern,  it  lifted  us  upon  its  crest,  where 
for  a  moment  our  vessel  quivered,  as  if  sensitive 
to  fear,  and  then  plunged  down  an  angle  of  some 
20  degrees  into  the  deep  valley — the  "  trough  of 
the  sea" — in  which   her   topmasts   could   hardly 


THE   EMBARKATIOX 


39 


have  been  seen  from  the  valley  beyond  the  next 
billow. 

So  long  as  these  mountain  waves  were  regular 
there  was  little  danger;  it  was  a  sight  of  grace 
and  beauty  to  see  the  majestic  wave  as  it  came 
under  the  vessel,  lifting  her  up  some  20  to  30 
feet,  holding  her  for  a  few  seconds  on  its  foam- 
ing crest,  sprinkling  her  with  a  white  feathery 
spray  as  with  snowflakes,  and  then  letting  her 
down  its  sloping  side  into  the  deep  valley  below. 
It  seemed  somewhat  like  marine  coasting,  and  in- 
deed the  motion  was  not  unpleasant. 

But  ever  and  anon  came  a  fierce,  foaming  bil- 
low, towering  high  and  roaring  as  if  to  devour  us. 
This  would  sometimes  "  comb  over"  and  break, 
striking  on  the  stern,  on  the  bow,  amidships,  on 
our  quarters,  or  along  the  whole  length  of  the 
ship's  sides,  sweeping  our  decks  from  "  stem  to 
stern,"  dashing  down  the  companion-way,  drench- 
ing the  cabin,  setting  furniture  afloat  in  wild 
confusion,  and  soaking  our  berths,  our  clothing, 
our  books  and  papers,  and  seeming,  for  the  time 
being,  to  have  full  control  of  the  ship,  the  cargo, 
and  the  crev/.  These  were  fearful  breaches,  and 
it  often  seemed  as  if  all  was  lost.  But  it  was 
wonderful  to  see  our  little  shallop  rise  like  a  sea- 


40  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

gull  from  such  a  crashing  and  drenching  flood, 
shake  herself  from  the  foam  which  filled  her 
scuppers  and  poured  in  cataracts  over  her  sides, 
and  like  a  storm-bird  adjust  herself  for  another 
charge  of  her  marine  assailant. 

During  most  of  the  time  the  sailors  were  hold- 
ing on  to  the  standing  rigging  with  desperate 
grasp.  No  table  was  laid,  and  no  one  ate  ex- 
cept by  snatches. 

This  was  a  wind-storm  from  the  great  Buenos 
Ayres  pampas,  or  prairies.  There  was  no  rain, 
nor  thunder  and  lightning,  and  yet  the  sun  was 
invisible  by  day  and  the  stars  by  night,  and  no 
observations  could  be  taken  to  determine  our 
latitude  and  longitude  until  the  storm  was  over. 
The  obscuration  of  the  heavenly  bodies  arose 
from  the  immense  clouds  of  spray  raised  by  the 
tempest,  which  filled  the  atmosphere  to  a  great 
height  and  fell  like  a  dense  Scotch  mist  upon  our 
decks.  So  thick  was  this  spray  that  at  times  we 
could  not  see  the  bowsprit  from  the  main  deck, 
and  a  sailor  at  a  few  yards'  distance  looked  more 
like  Hamlet's  ghost  than  like  a  man. 

But  all  things  in  nature  are  governed  by  the 
law  of  compensation,  and  so  it  is  with  the  laws  of 
storms.     Strong  winds  can  raise  the  ocean  waves 


THE  EMBARK  A  TION. 


41 


to  a  certain  height,  after  wliich  thc}-  have  no 
power  to  elevate ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  as  the 
wind  increases  it  can  only  depress  the  billows  by 
its  great  pressure,  and  by  tincapping,  so  to  speak, 
the  waves  and  lifting  their  crested  foam  into  thc 
atmosphere  in  the  form  of  spra}',  in  which  the  sun 
in  his  brightness  paints  rainbows  and  makes  all 
the  prismatic  tints  quiver  and  dance  in  aerial 
beauty. 

But  our  sympathies  were  greatly  moved  for  the 
master,  the  officers,  and  the  whole  crew  during 
this  terrific  tempest.  Everything  alow  and  aloft 
was  thoroughly  drenched  with  the  boarding 
waves  or  with  the  thick,  cold  mist.  We  had  no 
chance  for  drying  by  night  or  day,  and  were  also 
unable  to  cook  or  to  get  hot  food  ;  so  that  all  of 
us  were  shivering  and  chilled  with  cold.  The 
sight  of  the  vessel  and  of  all  on  board  was  dreary 
enough  ;  but  if  the  poet  be  correct, 

"  The  darkest  day,  live  till  to-morrow,  will  have  passed  away;" 

and  so  this  storm  ended,  and  we  said  with  joy  : 
*'  He  maketh  the  storm  a  calm,  so  that  the  waves 
thereof  are  still.  Then  are  they  glad  because 
they  are  quiet." 

Captain    Clift    labored    with    amazing   energy, 


42 


ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 


thorough  nautical  skill,  and  untired  patience  and 
care  to  save  our  ship  and  all  on  board  from  a 
grave  in  the  deep  ;  and  his  ofificers  and  crew 
were  prompt  and  ready  to  obey  orders.  The 
captain  and  the  officers  all  say  that  they  have 
never  before  passed  through  such  an  awful  tem- 
pest. 

This  last  day  of  October  is  one  of  gladness. 
All  are  engaged  in  repairing  the  damages  to  the 
vessel,  in  drying  clothing,  and  enjoying  the  warm 
sunshine. 

Nov.  I.  We  are  far  from  our  course,  having 
sailed  and  drifted  many  miles  northwardly  dur- 
ing the  storm. 

Charles  Palmer,  the  sailor  heretofore  mentioned 
as  afflicted  with  convulsions,  had  a  severe  attack 
last  night,  and  was  brought  into  the  cabin,  whe;/ 
we  cared  for  him. 

Nov.  8— lat.  48°  S.,  Ion.  65°  14'  W.  At  10 
A.M.  the  cry  "  Land  ho  !"  rang  from  all  parts  of 
the  vessel.  The  low,  sandy  shores  of  Eastern 
Patagonia  near  Cape  Blanco  are  in  full  view  about 
thirty  miles  to  the  westward.  The  day  is  delight- 
ful;  the  sky  unclouded,  the  air  soft  and  bland, 
the  rays  of  the  sun  mild  and  grateful,  all  giving 
indications  of  the  vernal  season.     But  we  see  no 


THE  EMBARKATION. 


43 


fields  smiling  under  the  hand  of  the  husbandman ; 
no  gardens  and  orchards  dressed  in  the  blooming 
beauties  of  spring ;  no  harbors  adorned  with  the 
waving  flags  of  commerce ;  no  cities  lifting  their 
towers  against  the  sky ;  no  peaceful  villages  and 
dainty  hamlets  sprinkling  the  extended  plains ; 
no  glittering  church-spires  pointing  the  weary 
pilgrim  to  "a  better  country."  Art  and  science 
have  never  shed  their  kindly  influences  over  this 
benighted  land  ;  nor  has  the  '*  Light  of  Life"  yet 
dawned  upon  it.  Here  the  fierce  savage  has 
roamed  from  age  to  age,  tearing  the  flesh  and 
drinking  the  blood  of  his  prey.  Generation  after 
generation  has  gone  down  to  the  shades  of  death 
without  a  beam  of  light  to  cheer  the  dark  valley, 
or  a  "  morning  star"  to  give  promise  of  "  an 
eternal  day." 

Night. — A  strong  westerly  breeze  sets  us  east- 
ward, and  we  have  lost  sight  of  the  land. 

Nov.  10.  We  have  had  divine  service  on 
board  to-day,  for  the  last  time  probably.  Our 
next  Sabbath  we  expect  to  spend  among  the 
Patagonian  savages. 

We  have  enjoyed  religious  worship  on  the 
Lord's  day  when  it  has  been  fine  weather  during 
the  voyage,  and  our  little  congregation  is  dear  to 


44  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

US.  Some  of  the  crew  express  faith  in  Christ, 
and  others  have  appeared  sober-minded  and  im- 
pressible under  the  sound  of  the  Gospel. 

Nov.  II.  At  5  P.M.  we  made  Cape  Virgin 
on  the  north  bank  of  the  entrance  to  Magellan 
Strait,  bearing  due  west  and  distant  about  eigh- 
teen miles. 

Nov.  12.  Arose  this  morning  and  found  the 
Mary  Jane  within  the  Strait,  beating  against  a 
strong  head-wind.  At  noon  we  passed  the  first 
"narrows,"  but  at  5  P.M.  we  were  obliged  to 
anchor  on  account  of  a  strong  head-wind  and 
current.  As  our  vessel  dragged  fast,  the  anchor 
was  taken  up,  when  one  of  the  flukes  was  found 
broken  off,  and  we  were  in  peril  of  drifting  on 
shore.  Sail  was  instantly  made,  and  our  vessel 
ran  back  through  the  narrows  till  a  new  anchor- 
age was  found,  when  another  anchor  was  let  go, 
which  held  the  ship. 

Captain  Clift  reported  the  broken  anchor  as  a 
new  one  purchased  in  New  York.  On  examina- 
tion it  was  found  that  a  flaw  in  the  fluke  had 
been  filled  with  putty  and  concealed  with  paint ! 
Such  a  flaw  has  its  moral. 

The  land  on  each  side  of  the  Strait  is  thus  far 
low  and  gently  undulating,  with  here  and  there  a 


THE   EM  BARK' A  TION. 


45 


hill  of  little  height.  The  beach  is  v/hitc  sand. 
As  we  sailed  along,  the  savages  on  either  side 
raised  a  great  smoke  in  many  places.  This  is  a 
common  signal  on  descrying  a  vessel  approaching 
their  coast. 

Nov.  13.  We  lay  at  anchor  all  day  on  ac- 
count of  a  fierce  westerly  wind.  As  the  tide  fell, 
Captain  Clift  found  it  necessary  to  drop  off  into 
deeper  water.  Much  difficulty  was  encountered 
in  finding  good  holding  ground,  and  we  were  all 
apprehensive  of  being  driven  out  again  into  the 
open  Atlantic.  At  length,  however,  good  anchor- 
age was  found,  and  our  bark  rides  safely. 


CHAPTER   IV. 

ARRIVAL  AT    OUR   LANDING-PLACE. 

Nov.  14.  On  awaking  this  morning  we  found 
the  Mary  Jane  quietly  anchored  in  Gregory's 
Bay,  some  seventy  miles  from  the  entrance  of  the 
Strait. 

Thus  our  voyage  of  just  ninety  days  is  ended, 
and  the  land  for  which  we  sailed  is  before  us. 
We  look  out  upon  a  beach  of  white  sand,  upon 
sand-cliffs,  sand-dunes,  the  grassy  pampas  and 
distant  snow-drowned  hills ;  but  neither  man  nor 
beast  nor  human  habitation  is  visible  :  all  is  drear 
solitude. 

Captain  Clift,  with  true  kindness,  offered  to 
remain  for  a  day  or  two  to  assist  us  in  finding 
Indians,  and  to  give  us  a  home  on  board  his 
vessel  until  we  could  get  quarters  among  the 
savages. 

Accordingly  we  landed  early  in  the  morning 
upon  a  beautiful  beach,  and,  mounting  a  steep 
bank  some  fifty  feet  high,  we  found  dry  grass  and 


ARRIVAL  AT  OUR  LANDING-PLACE. 


47 


a  small  clump  of  thorny  bushes  resembling  the 
barberry,  with  a  yellow  blossom.  With  these  we 
made  a  smoke  as  a  signal  to  raise  the  savages. 
Not  succeeding,  we  returned  before  noon  to  the 
vessel,  and  at  i  P.M.  we  landed  again  with  the 
Captain,  determined  to  travel  back  into  the  coun- 
try till  we  should  find  some  human  beings.  Tak- 
ing one  of  the  Indian  trails,  of  which  we  saw 
many,  we  pursued  our  way  over  hills  and  vales, 
often  coming  upon  places  where  the  savages  had 
encamped,  and  which  were  thickly  strewn  with 
the  bones  of  animals  consumed  by  them — -bones 
chiefly  of  the  guanaco,  a  variety  of  the  lama. 

In  one  instance  we  saw  two  huge  vertebrae  of 
a  whale's  spine,  far  inland.  The  tracks  of  horses, 
dogs,  and  guanacos  were  visible  everywhere. 

One  of  the  latter  animals  we  descried  feeding 
alone  in  a  meadow,  but  on  seeing  us  he  went  like 
an  antelope  over  the  ground,  and  was  soon  out  of 
sight.  We  saw  several  large  fowls,  among  which 
was  the  thievish  rook,  the  curlew,  and  the  upland 
goose.  Several  small  birds  also  flitted  around  us, 
cheering  us  with  their  sweet  warbling. 

The  hills  over  which  we  passed  were  of  a  dark 
sandy  soil,  very  light,  free  from  stones,  and  cov- 
ered \\\\\\    grass.     The   meadows  were  a  rich   al- 


48  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

luvium  covered  with  very  thick  grass,  which  grows 
in  spontaneous  profusion. 

As  the  old  tore  (dry  grass)  still  remained  in 
abundance,  we  found  it  easy  to  raise  a  great 
smoke  to  arouse  the  savages.  But  on  and  on  we 
went  with  rapid  speed,  as  we  were  all  very  anx- 
ious to  find  Indians  before  night :  the  Captain  be- 
cause he  wished  to  sail  as  soon  as  possible,  and 
we  because  we  felt  the  importance  of  meeting  the 
natives  before  the  Mary  Jane  should  leave. 
We  entered  a  little  ravine,  at  the  head  of  which 
we  found  a  rill  of  pure  water,  where  we  slaked  our 
great  thirst.  Soon  after  we  found  a  larger  stream 
running  through  a  grassy  meadow. 

How  far  we  travelled  we  know  not,  but  our 
march  was  rapid  because  we  were  all  urged  on  by 
our  earnest  desires  to  find  inhabitants  that  day. 
Probably  we  walked  from  seven  to  ten  miles 
towards  the  high  lands  north  of  us.  But  the  de- 
scending sun  and  our  weary  limbs  called  for  re- 
treat ;  so  back  we  sped  to  the  beach,  where  we 
arrived  at  nightfall,  hungry,  thirsty,  weary,  and 
disappointed. 

Nov.  15.  Early  this  morning,  Captain  Clift  in 
company  with  Mr.  Arms  set  out  again  in  search 
of  Indians,  while  I  remained  on  board  to  attend 


ARRIVAL  AT  OUR  LANDING-PLACE.  49 

to  some  business  preparatory  to  leaving  the  ves- 
sel. 

After  noon  we  descried  one  savage  on  the 
beach,  and  shortly  after  he  was  joined  by  three 
more,  all  mounted  on  horseback  and  attended  by 
more  than  twenty  dogs.  In  a  little  time  Mr. 
Arms  and  the  Captain  appeared  on  the  bank 
above  the  beach,  when  a  boat  was  sent  from  the 
schooner  to  bring  them  on  board.  Three  of  the 
savages  came  off  with  them,  one  of  whom  is  a  son 
of  an  aged  chief  whom  they  call  cl  capata  Ic 
gra?ide,  the  grand  captain.  The  young  man  is  of 
more  than  middling  size,  firmly  built,  of  an  open 
countenance,  and,  for  a  savage,  of  modest  and 
pleasant  manners.  He  can  speak  a  few  words  in 
English  and  more  in  Spanish.  By  signs  and  a 
little  Spanish  we  signified  to  him  that  we  wished 
him  to  furnish  us  with  two  horses  and  be  our 
guide  to  the  Indian  camp  among  the  northern 
hills,  where  we  could  spend  the  night,  and  return 
with  him  to  the  shore  in  the  morning;. 

This  we  were  very  anxious  to  do,  that  we  might 
learn  what  we  could  about  Patagonian  life  before 
the  Mary  Jane  leaves  us.  The  young  chief 
seemed  to  understand  and  to  consent  to  our  de- 
sires.    So  we  took   him  on  shore,  where   he  se- 


5° 


ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 


lected  two  horses  for  us,  and,  mounting  his  own, 
we  set  off  on  full  gallop,  leaving  three  Indians 
and  one  horse  on  the  shore.  After  riding  rapidly 
for  four  or  five  miles,  our  guide  dismounted,  drew 
out  two  pebbles  from  his  skin  pouch,  struck  fire 
and  kindled  the  dry  grass  around  us.  This  soon 
made  a  dense  smoke,  which  was  the  signal  for  the 
other  savages  of.his  clan  to  come  down. 

He  then  waited  a  while,  looking  earnestly  to 
the  hills,  but  we  as  earnestly  beckoned  him  to  re- 
mount his  horse  and  ride  on.  He  obeyed,  and  we 
rushed  over  another  plain,  when  he  dismounted 
again,  made  another  great  smoke,  and  waited  again 
for  the  Indians. 

We  pressed  him  once  more  to  go  on,  as  night 
was  approaching  and  we  feared  we  should  not 
reach  the  lodge  that  day.  So  on  we  galloped, 
but  shortly  we  descried  dark  forms  coming  down 
the  side  of  the  mountain  from  a  pass  among  the 
hills,  one  or  two  miles  distant.  Then  another  and 
another  squad  followed,  while  we  rode  on  to  meet 
them.  The  first  detachment  came  up  like  a 
whirlwind,  their  long,  coarse  black  hair  stream- 
ing and  their  rough  skin  mantles  flapping  in  the 
wind,  while  all  were  shouting  in  savage  glee. 
The  ground  shook  under  the  rush  of  their  horses, 


ARRIVAL  AT  OUR  LANDING-PLACE. 


51 


and  the  atmosphere  was  clouded  with  dust. 
They  surrounded  us  ;  they  yelled  and  grinned  ; 
they  were  as  noisy  as  a  flock  of  loons,  and  as 
active  as  a  swarm  of  bees.  They  talked  with  our 
guide  ;  they  tried  to  talk  with  us  ;  they  examined 
and  counted  our  garments;  they  opened  our  vests, 
felt  in  our  pockets,  pulled  up  our  trousers  and 
thrust  their  hands  into  our  boots.  This  was 
rough  courtesy  and  a  savage  reception. 

Probably  all  this  examination  was  to  ascertain 
whether  we  had  arms  or  tobacco.  The  former 
would  have  excited  suspicion ;  the  latter  aroused 
their  cupidity. 

They  were  large,  strong,  and  bold  men,  quite 
independent  in  their  bearing,  and  perfectly  con- 
scious that  they  were  "masters  of  the  situation." 
They  were  dark  and  filthy,  ignorant  and  brutal 
in  the  last  degree  ;  and  yet  each  man  was  a  king 
in  his  own  estimation,  and  their  country  was  the 
greatest,  the  richest,  and  the  best  in  the  world. 
It  had  never  been  conquered,  and  these  proud 
men  were  lords  who  knew  no  masters. 

They  laughed,  showing  splendid  rows  of  white 
teeth,  and  in  five  minutes  the  interview  ended. 
Ever>'  man  put  spurs  to  his  horse,  and,  with  yells 
and  an  uproarious  shout,  the  whole  band,  of  about 


52 


ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 


twenty,  rushed  toward  the  Strait,  leaving  a  long 
cloud  of  dust  behind  them. 

Our  guide  wished  to  turn  back  and  go  with 
them  to  the  shore,  but  we  still  urged  him  to  pro- 
ceed to  the  camp.  This  he  did  reluctantly,  often 
lingering,  dismounting,  and  showing  a  desire  to 
return.  We  met  a  few  more  straggling  com- 
panies of  savages,  and  when  the  last  came  up  it 
was  impossible  to  press  him  forward  any  longer. 
We  judged  ourselves  to  be  ten  or  twelve  miles 
from  the  sea,  with  no  signs  of  an  Indian  camp  in 
sight.  So  when  our  guide  turned  his  horse's 
head  toward  the  shore,  we  had  no  alternative, 
and  we  wheeled  also.  This  was  near  sundown. 
We  gave  our  coursers  the  rein  and  followed  our 
savage  friends  without  stopping  to  think,  to  wink, 
or  to  breathe. 

At  lo  P.iVl.  we  were  back  on  the  beach,  where 
we  found  the  companies  we  had  met  encamped 
in  the  open  air  for  the  night.  We  hailed  our 
vessel,  but  had  no  response.  She  was  anchored 
more  than  half  a  mile  from  the  shore ;  her  lights 
were  extinguished,  her  crew  asleep,  and  we  were 
to  spend  our  first  night  on  shore  with  these  wild 
people  without  shelter  or  supper.  About  forty 
savages  were  scattered  around,  some  sleeping  and 


ARRIVAL   AT  OUR  LANDING-PLACE. 


53 


snoring,  some  talking  in  unknown  gutturals,  some 
grunting,  and  some  hunting  small  game  in  the 
hair  of  their  dogs,  of  which  about  a  hundred  were 
present,  while  the  horses  were  tethered  around 
with  raw-hide  thongs.  A  small  clump  of  thorn- 
bushes  near  the  beach  had  supplied  the  savages 
with  a  few  fagots  Avith  which  they  had  kindled 
a  flickering  fire,  which  furnished  just  light  enough 
to  render  the  darkness  and  the  dark  visages  vis- 
ible. Around  these  smoking  fagots  sat  a  num- 
ber of  Indians  trying  to  warm  in  the  smoke  and 
ashes  a  few  small  pieces  of  dirty  guanaco  meat, 
of  which  they  gave  Mr.  Arms  and  myself  each  a 
morsel  about  the  size  of  one's  finger.  This  was 
our  supper.  But  we  were  weary  and  hungry,  and 
so  without  scruple,  "asking  no  questions,"  we  ate 
our  morsels  with  thankfulness.  This  was  a  fore- 
taste of  Patagonian  life.  The  Indians  also  gave 
us  a  little  water  from  a  skin  bottle,  or  bag  such 
as  the  old  patriarchs  used,  and  this  was  a  kind  of 
prelibation  of  the  blessings  in  store  for  us  in  this 
wild  land. 

After  our  repast  and  our  thanksgiving,  our  guide 
spread  a  skin  for  us  to  sleep  on,  and  when  we  lay 
down  he  tried  to  cover  us  v/ith  a  small,  thin,  and 
not  very  clean  blanket.     It  was  kind  in  him,  and 


54 


ADVENTURES  IM  PATAGONIA. 


we  appreciated  the  service  ;  for  it  was  a  cold  night 
and  the  dew  was  heavy,  so  that  we  awoke  in  the 
morning  wet  and  chilled.  But  we  slept  peacefully 
and  without  fear,  and  awoke  thankful  for  the  pro- 
tecting care  of  Israel's  Shepherd. 

Nov.  1 6.  The  morning  is  bright  and  cool.  The 
sun  of  our  northern  home  shines  upon  us,  but  all 
our  surroundings  are  strange  and  weird.  The 
Captain  sent  his  boat  early,  and  we  went  on  board, 
taking  with  us  the  old  chief  before  mentioned, 
his  son  our  guide  and  one  other  Indian.  All 
these  seemed  to  be  prominent  men  of  the  tribe 
and  our  object  in  taking  them  on  board  was  to 
make  arrangements  with  them  for  living  and  trav- 
elHng  with  them  in  Patagonia  until  our  mission 
to  their  country  should  be  accomplished. 

Through  seamen  who  have  visited  the  Strait 
and  seen  numbers  of  this  tribe  of  savages,  we 
learn  that  a  chief  whom  the  sailors  called 
Maria  and  dubbed  the  Queen  was  somewhere  in 
this  region.  Supposing  that  this  woman  was  in- 
vested with  high  authority,  and  wishing  to  have 
an  early  interview  with  her,  we  inquired  of  our 
old  chief  and  his  son  where  she  was.  They  signi- 
fied that  she  was  gone  far  north  to  her  winter 
quarters,  but  that  she  would  return  in  about  "  one 


ARRIVAL  AT  OUR  LANDING-PLACE. 


55 


moon"  to  her  southern  rambles.  We  then  made 
them  understand  that  we  wished  to  leave  our  ves- 
sel to  live  with  them  for  a  season.  The  three 
Indians  consulted  together  for  about  ten  minutes, 
when  the  aged  sire  signified  their  assent  to  our 
proposal,  promising  by  signs  to  put  food  into  our 
mouths,  to  give  us  horses  to  ride,  to  carry  our  lug- 
gage, and  to  take  good  care  of  our  persons. 

They  wished  to  know  how  many  moons  we 
would  live  with  them,  and  whether  our  vessel 
would  return  for  us,  to  all  of  which  we  replied 
indefinitely,  as  all  was  uncertain  to  us. 

All  this  took  place  in  the  cabin,  the  Captain 
and  officers  being  present  as  witnesses.  The  chief 
then,  by  earnest  gestures,  inquired  for  our  bag- 
gage, and,  as  it  was  pointed  out  article  by  article, 
he  and  his  men  laid  hold  of  it,  the  sailors  coming 
to  their  help,  and  in  a  few  minutes  it  was  all  in 
the  boat.  We  followed,  bidding  a  final  farewell 
to  the  Mary  Jane,  which  had  been  our  home  for 
three  months. 

Captain  Clift  went  on  shore  with  us  to  assist  in 
erecting  our  tent  and  to  bid  us  a  final  adieu,  in- 
tending to  sail  at  evening  on  his  voyage  westward. 
He  has  taken  a  lively  interest  in  all  that  concerns 
our  welfare  on  this  expedition.     Our  tent,  which 


56  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

was  made  in  New  York,  of  light  canvas,  was  pitched 
to-day  for  the  first  time.  It  spreads  about  eight 
feet  in  length  and  six  in  breadth.  In  this  we 
have  gathered  our  little  all  for  our  sojourn  in 
Patagonia,  consisting  of  our  personal  apparel,  a 
few  sheets  and  blankets,  a  small  chest  of  medi- 
cines, a  few  books  with  stationery,  two  saddles 
with  bridles  and  spurs,  a  few  pounds  of  sea- 
biscuit  and  pork,  and  a  little  bag  of  salt,  together 
with  a  variety  of  articles  such  as  axes,  hatchets, 
files,  fishing-tackle,  saws,  gimlets,  augurs,  ham- 
mers, handkerchiefs,  garments,  and  several  pieces 
of  cotton  and  woollen  goods,  to  the  amount  of  a 
few  hundred  dollars,  for  presents  to  the  savages, 
or  to  purchase  food  or  other  useful  articles  from 
them.  Thus  furnished,  we  commenced  house- 
keeping in  Patagonia  on  the   i6th  of  November, 

1833. 

In  the  afternoon  of  this  day  the  sealing  schoon- 
er Plutarch,  Captain  Miner,  of  Mystic,  Conn., 
came  into  the  bay  and  anchored  near  the  Mary 
Jane,  and  Captain  Miner  visited  us  in  our  tent  on 
shore.  At  nightfall  the  masters,  officers,  and 
crews  of  the  two  schooners  bade  us  a  kind  adieu 
and  went  on  board,  intending  to  sail  that  evening. 

Sunday,  Nov.   17.    On    awaking    this    morning 


ARRIVAL  AT  OUR  LANDING-PLACE. 


57 


we  found  the  Mary  Jane  and  the  Plutarch  still  at 
anchor  in  the  harbor.  A  strong  head-wind  and 
a  heavy  current  running  east  had  prevented 
the  vessels  from  leaving  their  anchorage.  The 
boats  of  these  vessels  did  not  leave  the  davits  all 
day  on  account  of  the  roaring  wind  and  the  rough 
sea.  We  remained  in  our  little  tabernacle  during 
the  day ;  it  was  crowded  from  morning  till  night 
with  the  savages,  all  curious  to  examine  our  lug- 
gage, and  even  the  garments  on  our  persons. 
They  labored  hard  to  talk  with  us,  and  we  with 
them  ;  but  we  all  found  it  impossible  to  make 
ourselves  understood  except  to  a  very  small 
degree. 

The  miserable  creatures  are  nearly  destitute  of 
food,  as  this  is  the  third  day  on  the  shore,  and  as 
they  rarely  find  game  within  five  to  ten  miles  of 
here. 

We  ate  sparingly  of  the  little  stores  we  took 
from  the  vessel,  and  the  savages — men,  women, 
and  children — watch  us  like  hungry  dogs,  and  beg 
of  us  with  pitiful  importunity. 

A  few  very  small  mussels  are  found  along  the 
shore,  and  these  are  the  only  shell-fish  we  have 
seen.  Of  these  they  gathered  a  scanty  pittance, 
but  not  enough  to  satisfy  hunger. 


58  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

The  Indians  have  one  skin  tent  on  the  shore, 
and  a  part  of  them  occupy  this,  and  the  rest  sit 
and  he  and  sleep  around  upon  the  grass.  Their 
time  is  spent  in  eating,  when  they  find  anything 
to  eat,  sleeping,  laughing,  talking,  singing,  card- 
playing,  etc.  Their  clothing,  as  has  been  said,  is 
of  skins  of  the  guanaco,  dressed  and  made  into 
mantles  in  the  form  of  a  blanket  with  the  fur 
on.  When  these  are  old  and  filthy  they  harbor 
innumerable  small  vermin.  To-day  we  saw  one 
of  these  mantles  spread  out,  with  some  six  sav- 
ages gathered  around  it.  One  with  a  club  beat 
the  fur  side  of  the  mantle,  while  the  others 
watched  the  game  as  it  was  thrown  out  of  the 
fur,  seized  and  devoured  it  with  greedy  relish. 

This  is  our  first  Sunday  on  heathen  ground, 
and  it  is  truly  affecting  to  be  surrounded  by  these 
debased  and  benighted  beings,  for  whom  we  have 
so  often  prayed,  without  being  able  to  tell  them 
of  a  Saviour's  love,  or  the  motives  which  brought 
us  to  their  dark  abodes. 

Nov.  1 8.  Like  yesterday  and  last  night,  this 
day  has  been  boisterous  on  land  and  sea.  The 
strong  head-wind  has  kept  the  vessels  at  their 
anchors;  the  rain  has  been  abundant,  with  chill- 
ing cold,  and  the  clouds  have  been  so  dense  and 


ARRIVAL   AT  OUR  LANDING-PLACE. 


59 


dark  that,  for  most  of  the  time,  we  have  been 
unable  to  see  the  schooners  at  their  anchorage. 
No  boats  have  come  to  the  shore  since  the  i6th, 
and  we  have  hardly  once  moved  out  of  our 
quivering  tent.  But  notwithstanding  the  storm, 
hunger  has  driven  some  of  the  savages  to  mount 
their  horses  and  hunt  for  game.  The  young  chief 
came  to  our  tent  and  said  in  English,  "  Guanaco 
most  done,"  and  signifying  that  they  must  brave 
the  storm  and  hunt.  Soon  a  small  party  were 
mounted  on  horses,  and  armed  with  the  bolas,  an 
instrument  made  of  strips  of  raw-hide  about  six 
feet  long,  with  three  strands,  each  armed  at  the 
end  with  a  smooth  round  pebble  about  the  size 
of  a  hen's  egg,  enclosed  in  skin.  This  weapon, 
thrown  among  the  animals  from  a  horse  at  full 
speed,  entangles  the  game  so  that  the  hunter, 
leaping  from  his  horse,  dispatches  it  with  his 
cuchillo,  or  hunting-knife. 

The  hunters  were  gone  a  long  time,  and  re- 
turned at  evening,  weary,  hungry,  with  dark  and 
downcast  faces,  having  taken  nothing  but  one 
skunk. 

The  whole  dependence  of  these  natives  for 
food  is  on  their  wild  animals,  chiefly  the  guanaco, 
which  is  very  cautious  and  as  fleet  as  the  deer. 


6o  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

We  pitied  the  poor  fellows  in  their  hunger  and 
disappointment,  but  we  had  no  power  to  help 
them  from  our  slender  stores,  the  whole  of  which 
would  not  have  sufBced  to  give  one  tenth  of  them 
a  meal. 

As  for  fishing,  though  encamped  on  the  sea- 
shore, they  have  no  fishing-tackle,  nor  do  they 
seem  to  know  anything  of  the  art. 

But  hungry  and  thirsty,  wet  and  cold,  without 
tent  or  fuel,  they  will  remain  on  the  shore  as  long 
as  a  vessel  is  at  anchor.  They  are  eager  for  to- 
bacco and  other  stimulants,  for  guns  and  ammuni- 
tion, for  bread,  pork,  and  all  edibles;  but  tobacco 
and  intoxicants  are  the  first  articles  for  which  they 
call,  and  their  desire  for  these  is  fearful.  The 
articles  they  exchange  for  what  they  obtain  from 
ships  are  fresh  meat  of  the  guanaco,  furs,  skin 
mantles,  and  a  few  other  things. 

The  chief  signified  to  us  that  they  must  return 
manana,  i.e.  to-morrow,  to  their  lodge  in  the 
mountains. 

At  4  P.M.  the  storm  abated  and  the  sea  was 
more  quiet.  Soon  we  saw  the  boats  of  the 
Mary  Jane  and  the  Plutarch  lowered  and  heading 
for  the  shore.  The  masters,  Clift  and  Miner, 
with  officers  and   sailors,  came  to  greet  us  once 


ARRIVAL   AT  OUR  LANDING-PLACE.  6i 

more  and  to  bid  us  another  farewell.  Captain 
Miner  brought  us  a  basket  of  boiled  penguins' 
eggs,  which  he  had  gathered  at  the  Falkland 
Islands.  These  were  very  acceptable,  and  in  our 
condition  delicious. 

At  sunset  the  boats  with  our  much-esteemed 
friends  returned  to  the  vessels.  At  dark  the 
savages,  like  fowls,  retired  to  their  lodgings ;  the 
horses  ceased  neighing,  the  dogs  ceased  howling, 
the  children  ceased  their  noisy  gambols,  the 
adults  ceased  their  hoarse  talking,  the  wind  was 
lulled,  the  sea  hushed  its  roar ;  the  great  vault  of 
heaven  shone  out  adorned  with  glowing  constel- 
lations and  sprinkled  with  blazing  sapphires. 
All  was  calm  and  quiet,  and  after  offering  up 
our  vesper  thanks  and  petitions  to  Him  who 
made  and  who  moves  the  mighty  wheels  of  the 
universe,  we  fell  into  a  sound  sleep. 

Nov.  19.  On  awaking  this  morning  every  vision 
of  home  and  country,  every  mark  of  civilization, 
had  fled.  The  httle  vessels,  like  sea-birds,  had 
spread  their  white  pinions  to  the  breeze  and  sped 
to  the  west.  The  bark  which  had  borne  us  so 
safely  for  many  thousand  miles,  and  upon  which 
we  had  been  so  generously  fed  for  ninety-four 
days,  had  passed  away  like  a  dream  of  the  night. 


62  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

Around  us  were  savage  horses  neighing,  one  or 
two  hundred  savage  dogs  barking,  and  forty  or 
fifty  savage  men,  women,  and  children  spread  out 
upon  the  ground,  some  fast  asleep,  some  snoring, 
some  grunting,  some  just  opening  and  rubbing 
their  eyes,  some  jabbering,  some  sitting  up  and 
hunting  small  game  in  the  upper  loft,  some  smok- 
ing the  nauseating  pipe,  some  moving  slowly 
about  without  apparent  motive,  some  looking  at 
their  horses,  some  turning  on  their  earthy  beds 
"  like  a  door  on  its  hinges,"  half  waking  and  fall- 
ing asleep  again.  But  no  one  was  washing  hands 
and  face,  no  one  bathing  in  pure  water,  no  one 
reading,  no  one  praying,  no  one  laying  a  clean 
breakfast-table,  no  one  cooking  a  morning  repast, 
and  no  one  eating,  drinking,  or  even  giving  signs 
of  having  anything  to  eat !  This  is  poverty, 
hunger,  nakedness,  filth ;  this  is  squalid  misery ; 
this  is  darkness  and  deep  degradation ;  this  is 
heathenism  and  savagism  of  the  lowest  type ; 
this  is  man  with  the  image  of  God  erased  from 
mind  and  heart — man  sunk  below  the  brute  he 
feeds  on — heaven-created  man  in  ruins — man  un- 
conscious of  his  origin,  utterly  ignorant  of  what 
he  is,  oi  what  he  might  be,  and  of  all  that  awaits 
him  ' 


I 


ARRIVAL  AT  OUR  LANDING-PLACE.  63 

Such  are  our  surroundings,  and  such  were  some 
of  our  meditations.  And  how  could  we  sound 
the  depth  or  measure  the  length  and  breadth  of 
the  degradation?  How,  without  an  interpreter  or 
any  medium  of  communication  with  these  deaf 
and  dumb  and  blind  spirits,  were  we  to  reach 
them  ? 

But  we  are  here,  we  thought,  and  these  are  the 
facts.  The  last  material  link  which  connected  us 
with  the  civilized  and  Christian  world  is  sundered. 
We  are  left  among  these  savages  without  arrange- 
ment or  pledge  for  return  to  our  country.  We 
are  thrown  upon  their  hospitality  for  our  food, 
and  upon  their  wills  for  our  protection  and  our 
lives.  But  we  do  not  regret  it.  We  came  volun- 
tarily, knowing  the  facts,  and  we  have  no  fears. 
"  One  who  is  faithful  and  true"  has  said,  "  Be  not 
anxious  for  your  life ;"  so  also  for  "  what  we  shall 
eat  and  drink,  for  your  Heavenly  Father  knoweth 
that  ye  have  need  of  all  these  things."  He  that 
"giveth  to  the  beast  his  food  and  to  the  young 
ravens  that  cry"  has  said,  "  I  am  with  you  always. 
I  will  never  leave  or  forsake  you." 

This  was  the  day  set  for  decamping  and  going 
northward,  but  a  cold  rain  has  prevented.  So  we 
have  sat  in  our  tent,  while  the  Indians  have  filled 


64  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA 

every  vacant  nook  and  corner,  watching  with  curi- 
ous eyes  every  movement  we  make.  We  do  all 
we  can  to  communicate  with  them,  but  that  is 
little  ;  our  thoughts  are  like  the  contents  of  sealed 
bottles  ready  to  burst. 


CHAPTER   V. 

VISITING   THE   INDIAN   CAMP. 

Nov.  20.  Early  this  morning  our  young  chief, 
whom  we  call  Louis,  aroused  us  to  prepare  for  a 
march  to  the  northward.  We  struck  our  tent  at 
once,  and  prepared  our  luggage,  which  the  women 
packed  upon  their  horses  with  skill  and  care,  hav- 
ing abundance  of  raw-hide  thongs  for  the  purpose. 
All  the  labor  of  pitching  and  of  striking  tents,  of 
arranging  and  packing  baggage,  and  of  carrying 
little  children,  pertains  to  the  women,  while  the 
men  stand  or  sit  and  look  idly  on.  The  men  carry 
nothing,  but  mount  their  horses  like  rangers, 
riding  independently,  deploying  to  the  right  and 
left  of  the  trail  in  search  of  game,  and  rushing 
upon  it  at  lightning  speed  when  seen. 

While  the  squaws  move  along  in  Indian  file 
on  a  gentle  trot,  the  males  are  seen  darting  off  in 
tangents,  raising  the  dust  on  many  lines  over  the 
plains,  or  standing  or  wheeling  on  the  summits  of 
distant  hills,  carefully   scanning  the  surrounding 


66  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

landscape  in  hope  of  descrying  a  herd  of  grazing 
guanacos.  Whether  successful  or  unsuccessful 
they  soon  return  to  the  track,  often  ahead  of  the 
caravan,  when,  after  moving  on  for  a  few  miles  in 
a  waving  line,  they  again  repeat  the  old  manoeuvre 
in  search  of  game. 

The  horses  that  we  have  seen  thus  far  are  small, 
but  hardy  and  fleet,  and  quite  obedient  to  the 
wills  of  their  masters.  We  were  surprised  to  see 
the  burdens  they  carried.  The  women  slung  our 
chest  (3  feet  by  i^)  on  one  side  of  a  horse,  with  a 
good-sized  trunk  on  the  other  to  balance  it.  On 
these  they  placed  a  large  bag  of  the  weight  of 
a  common  travelling-trunk,  and  above  all  these 
a  squaw  mounted  to  guide  the  horse. 

This  is  a  specimen  of  the  burdens  with  which 
they  load  their  horses.  When  everything  was 
ready,  horses  were  assigned  to  Mr.  Arms  and 
myself,  and  as  the  tribe  was  minus  two  horses  on 
account  of  their  foreign  guests,  we  were  invited 
to  take  the  saddle  and  reins  and  to  receive  a 
sturdy  Indian  each  behind  us.  We  accepted  the 
"  situation"  cheerfully ;  for  why  should  the  depend- 
ent offer  terms  to  his  host  and  benefactor  ?  So 
away  we  galloped  with  light  hearts,  for  the  morn- 
ing was  bright,  the  air  pure,  and  the  gratification 


VISITIXG    THE  INDIAN  CAMP.  67 

of  leaving  our  dingy,  dreary,  and  hungry  camp 
for  a  morning  ride  over  the  rolhng  prairie  into  the 
open  country  was  exhilarating. 

The  moving  and  winding  cavalcade  was  a  pic- 
turesque one.  Our  faithful  young  chief,  Louis, 
led  us  on,  and  did  not  at  first  deploy  like  the 
other  Indians  for  game.  Our  way  led  through 
level  pampas  covered  with  grass,  and  skirted  at  a 
distance  on  either  hand  with  mountain  ranges, 
some  of  whose  summits  were  still  shining  with 
snow. 

The  travelling  was  good,  and,  though  our  horses 
were  heavily  laden,  we  proceeded  at  the  rate  of 
about  four  miles  an  hour.  About  once  in  ten 
miles  the  Indians  would  rest  their  horses  for  an 
hour,  always  near  a  clump  of  thorn-bushes  when 
they  were  to  be  found.  With  these  brambles 
they  would  kindle  a  fire  and  warm  themselves ; 
for  though  the  morning  was  bright  and  the  breeze 
gentle,  yet  by  noon  the  wind  became  strong  and 
cold. 

We  rode  our  own  saddles  and  used  our  own 
bridles  and  spurs.  The  native  saddle  is  a  simple 
and  rough  imitation  of  the  Spanish  saddle-tree, 
made  of  wood  and  without  covering.  The  girths 
and    stirrup-leathers    are    only    raw- hide    straps. 


68  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

The  stirrup  is  made  of  wood  in  triangular  form, 
and  with  only  breadth  enough  to  receive  two 
toes.  The  spur  is  made  of  two  small  pieces  of 
hard  wood  sharpened  to  a  point,  and  rigged  with 
leather  straps  so  as  to  fasten  firmly  upon  the  heel, 
and  tied  on  the  instep.  With  these  they  often 
goad  their  horses  until  their  sides  run  blood. 
The  bridle  -  reins  are  raw  -  hide,  attached  to  a 
wooden  bit,  which  is  tied  to  the  under-jaw  of 
the  horse  without  headstall.  With  this  rude  bit 
and  rein  the  horse  is  under  the  full  control  of  his 
rider. 

On  our  way  we  saw  many  guanacos  gazing 
upon  us  from  the  distant  hill-tops,  or  scudding  at 
full-speed  over  the  plain  to  avoid  us.  At  length 
Louis  suddenly  halted,  cast  a  keen  look  towards 
the  hills  on  the  left,  and  in  a  moment  put  spurs 
to  his  charger  and  bounded  away  across  the  plain 
with  the  speed  of  an  arrow.  This  sudden  move- 
ment was  soon  explained  to  us  by  the  savages, 
who,  pointing  that  way,  said  "  Guanac  !  guanac  !" 
The  old  chief  followed  his  son  in  company  with 
several  others  of  the  party,  while  we  jogged  on 
with  the  women,  children,  and  luggage.  In  a 
short  time  young  Louis  rejoined  our  party,  in- 
formed us  that  he  had  killed  a  guanaco,  and  that 


VISITING    THE   IXDIAN  CAMP.  69 

some  of  his  men  had  remained  behind  to  dress  it. 
This  gave  us  all  joy,  for  our  appetites  were  keen 
after  a  hungry  ride  of  five  hours.  We  soon  came 
to  a  small  bunch  of  bushes,  where  the  cavalcade 
halted,  dismounted,  and  kindled  a  fire. 

Presently  an  Indian  came  up  with  a  piece  of 
the  guanaco  they  had  killed.  This  was  roasted, 
or  rather  warmed  and  smoked,  and  distributed 
among  us  all. 

When  our  scanty  meal  was  over  we  proceeded 
on  our  way,  the  savages  talking  or  singing  in 
rough  guttural  tones.  At  4  P.M.  we  arrived  at  the 
Indian  headquarters,  after  a  weary  ride  of  25  to 
30  miles. 

We  found  the  savages  encamped  in  a  narrow 
valley  between  two  ranges  of  hills  which  screen 
them  from  the  strong  winds  of  this  country. 

On  our  approach  to  this  first  real  Indian  lodge 
which  we  had  seen,  all  the  savages,  old  and  young, 
men,  women,  and  children,  with  a  new  pack  of 
dogs,  rushed  out  to  hail  us.  The  dogs  howled, 
the  horses  neighed,  the  men  shouted  and  yelled, 
the  children  screamed  and  ran  to  and  fro,  hiding 
in  and  behind  the  tents,  peeping  out  to  get  a 
sight  of  the  strangers  and  then  withdrawing 
through  fear,  while  the  whole  camp  was  astir  with 


•JO  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

noisy  interest.  There  were  remarkable  sights  and 
sounds,  and  wonderful  garrulity;  and  what  odors 
too!  In  this  camp  we  found  a  large  number  of 
Indians  who  were  not  on  the  shore.  The  lodge 
contains  ten  skin  tents  like  the  one  on-  the  beach. 
These  hovels  are  arranged  in  a  slightly  curved 
line,  all  facing  the  cast,  as  the  prevailing  winds  are 
from  the  v/est.  The  tent  in  which  the  chief  and 
his  family  live  is  larger  and  better  than  the  rest, 
and  is  a  little  separated  from  them  on  the  right. 

A  small  stream  of  pure  water  runs  along  the 
valley.  This  is  a  great  comfort,  as  water  is  ex- 
tremely scarce  in  this  part  of  the  country. 

There  is  no  wood  near  us  except  a  very  few  of 
the  prickly  bushes  spoken  of  before,  and  these  are 
used  only  in  cooking.  On  our  arrival  the  squaws 
unloaded  the  horses,  delivered  the  baggage  to  its 
respective  owners,  erected  the  tent  brought  up 
from  the  bay,  and  assisted  us  in  erecting  ours. 
Meanwhile  all  our  parcels  were  bestowed  in  a 
heap  in  the  tent  of  the  chiefs,  father  and  son,  and 
Louis  sat  by  and  watched  them  until  our  tent  was 
ready,  when  they  were  brought  in  and  arranged. 

These  chiefs  seem  to  have  adopted  us  as  their 
children,  and  to  feel  a  peculiar  responsibility  for 
our  protection  and  comfort.     All  our  baggage  was 


VISITING    THE  INDIAN  CAMP. 


71 


brouglit  safely  up,  even  to  the  smallest  article, 
and  delivered  to  us  in  good  condition. 

Everything  being  thus  arranged,  we  took  pos- 
session of  our  little  "  tabernacle  in  the  wilder- 
ness," and  felt  almost  at  home  once  more,  though 
"in  a  strange  land."  Sitting  in  our  tent  door  as 
the  winds  were  hushed  and  the  mild  sun  was 
sinking  behind  the  hills,  the  people  gathered 
around  us,  full  of  smiles  and  beckonings  and 
wakeful  curiosity;  and  even  the  httle  children, 
naked  as  Adam  in  Eden,  were  running  and  leap- 
ing and  giggling  in  their  evening  gambols,  often 
venturing  near  our  tent,  looking  in  upon  us  with 
curious  eyes,  and  then  with  a  jolly  shout  returning 
again  to  their  plays  upon  the  turf. 

The  old  mother,  wife  of  the  aged  chief,  brought 
us  a  piece  of  guanaco  and  of  pork  from  the  Mary 
Jane.  It  was  cooked  in  an  old  iron  pot,  and  upon 
this  we  made  our  first  meal  in  the  inland  camp 
of  the  Indians;  after  which  we  offered  up  our 
evening  thanks  and  petitions  to  Him  whose 
guardian  love  and  care  had  led  us  thus  far, 
and  then,  resting  from  care,  enjoyed  a  peaceful 
sleep. 

Nov.  21.  Early  in  the  morning  the  whole  camp 
was  astir,  and  the  people  flocked  around  our  tent 


72 


ADVENTURES  IX  PATAGONIA. 


to  watch  our  movements.  Our  hero,  Louis,  also 
came,  and  seeing  me  in  the  act  of  shaving,  he 
begged  me  to  take  off  his  beard.  This  I  did, 
apparently  much  to  his  gratification.  Our  break- 
fast, Hke  our  supper,  was  given  us  by  the  good 
old  motherly  chief,  though  this  was  evidently 
nearly  the  last  morsel  of  meat  in  the  tent. 

Thus  far  we  have  not  suffered  severely  from 
hunger,  as  our  Indian  hosts  divide  their  scanty 
pittance  with  us.  This  we  eat  without  bread  or 
vegetables. 

A  party  of  ten,  with  horses,  dogs,  and  the  bolas, 
went  out  on  a  hunt  this  morning,  headed  by  our 
friend,  Captain  Louis.  Mr.  Arms  joined  the  party, 
while  I  remained  to  "  keep  ship,"  i.e.  to  look  after 
the  tent. 

At  4  r.M.  the  Captain  and  ]\Ir.  Arms  returned 
hungry  and  weary,  having  ridden  a  great  distance 
and  taken  nothing.  As  the  meat  in  the  camp  was 
exhausted,  the  savages  looked  gloomy  and  the 
children  clamored  and  cried  with  hunger.  Things 
were  looking  dark,  and  we  began  to  apprehend 
suffering.  Soon,  however,  another  detachment  of 
the  hunting  party  returned  with  three  fine  guana- 
cos  slung  in  quarters  upon  their  horses.  Then 
there    was  laughing   and    shouting,  and    all   was 


VISITIXG    THE   INDIAN  CAMP. 


73 


bright  again.  Before  dark  we  were  presented  with 
a  piece  of  meat  well  roasted  for  our  supper. 

The  hunters  also  gave  us  an  ostrich-egg  measur- 
ing 14  inches  in  its  longer  and  iif  inches  in  its 
shorter  circumference.  This  was  indeed  a  God- 
send, as  we  were  already  longing  for  something  be- 
sides meat  for  food. 

I  spent  the  day  in  our  little  tent  surrounded  as 
usual  by  the  natives,  who  take  great  pains  to  com- 
municate with  us,  and  who  seem  to  wonder  who 
and  what  we  are,  whence  we  came,  and  why  we 
have  voluntarily  located  ourselves  among  them. 
We  long  to  converse  with  them,  but  there  is  no 
interpreter.  Probably  no  man  on  earth  under- 
stands* their  language  but  themselves.  They  seem 
fond  of  their  little  children,  and  love  to  have  us 
notice  them.  The  children  also  are  losing  their  shy- 
ness, and  flock  around  us  in  a  smiling  and  con- 
fiding way.  We  brought  out  many  coarse  combs, 
with  finer  ones  for  their  use,  and  the  little  naked 
_  urchins  seem  delighted  to  have  us  teach  them  how 
to  comb  their  swampy  heads. 

We  have  been  examining  their  tents,  or  wig- 
wams, and  find  they  are  made  thus:  Three  or  four 
rows,  according  to  the  size  of  the  wigwam,  of 
small  stakes  are  set  vertically  in  parallel  lines  in 


74  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

the  ground.  The  first  or  front  row  may  be  five, 
six,  or  eight  feet  high,  the  second  a  foot  or  two 
shorter,  and  the  third  or  fourth  about  two  feet. 
On  the  tops  of  these  upright  stakes  are  slender 
longitudinal  poles  that  reach  from  end  to  end  of 
the  hovel ;  they  are  lashed  to  the  stakes  with 
strips  of  skin  or  with  the  tendons  of  animals. 
This  completes  the  frame.  Over  this  a  large  cov- 
ering of  skins  is  spread  and  secured  by  thongs. 
The  ends  of  the  hut  are  secured  by  skins  fastened 
to  upright  stakes  or  horizontal  poles.  The  front 
is  left  open  in  fair  weather ;  but  in  winter  and 
during  storms  it  is  enclosed  like  the  ends  with 
curtains  of  skins.  For  this  covering  they  use  the 
skins  of  old  guanacos,  or  those  of  the  pum*a,  cou- 
gar, or  gray  lion  of  South  America.  These  skins 
are  cut  and  well  matched  and  sewed  together  with 
the  sinews  of  animals,  making  blankets  of  con- 
venient size,  to  be  rolled,  unrolled,  spread  on  the 
tent,  and  removed  at  will.  All  the  tents,  including 
frames,  coverings,  partitions,  etc.,  are  made  with 
reference  to  packing  and  transporting  from  one 
part  of  the  country  to  another ;  for  when  a  tribe 
or  clan  or  division  removes,  nothing  is  left  behind. 
The  dress  of  these  people  in  its  primitive  state 
was,  of  course,  exclusively  of  skins.     For  this  pur- 


VISITING    THE   IXDIAN'  CAMP.  75 

pose  the  skins  of  the  calves  or  young  guanacos 
were  selected  because  of  the  lightness  of  the  ma- 
terial, but  especially  on  account  of  the  softness  of 
the  fur,  or  rather  wool.  This  is  short,  thick,  and 
soft,  like  lamb's  wool,  interspersed  with  thin  scat- 
tering hairs.  The  Indians  have  the  art  of  dressing 
these  skins  with  the  wool  on,  so  that  they  are  soft 
and  pliable  like  dressed  deer-skin. 

Thus  prepared,  they  are  cut  by  "  dovetailing" 
so  as  to  secure  the  greatest  economy  of  the  ma- 
terial, and  then  sewed  together  with  a  small  awl 
of  iron,  which  they  call  Jiodlc,  according  to  the 
size  desired.  The  form  is  that  of  a  shawl  or  blan-^ 
ket,  and  it  is  often  ornamented  on  the  flesh  side 
with  various  figures  colored  in  pigment.  This  is 
the  only  garment  of  the  males,  except  a  narrow 
belt  of  skin  or  cloth  to  cover  their  nakedness.  It 
is  wrapped  around  the  person  like  a  blanket,  and 
in  cold  and  stormy  weather  it  is  drawn  up  so  as  to 
cover  the  head  like  a  hood  and  fastened  around 
the  waist  with  "a  girdle  of  skin"  like  the  mantle  of 
John  the  Baptist.  When  the  weather  is  cold  the 
wool  side  is  turned  inward,  and  outward  when  it  is 
warm.  When  hunting,  the  Indian  girds  it  tight 
about  his  loins  to  save  it  from  being  swept  off  by 
the  wind,  but  lets  it   fall  from    his  shoulders  to 


76  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

flutter  in  the  wind,  while  the  arms  and  upper  part 
of  the  body  are  free  for  the  management  of  the 
reins,  the  lasso,  the  bolas,  the  spear,  the  bow  and 
arrow,  or  the  knife. 

The  women  dress  like  the  men  except  that  they 
wear  a  broader  garment  around  the  waist,  extend- 
ing from  the  hips  to  the  knees.  Over  this  the 
mantle  is  like  that  of  the  man.  The  foot  is 
usually  bare,  but  sometimes  protected  by  mocca- 
sins made  of  the  skin  of  a  horse's  orguanaco's  leg, 
dressed  soft  and  worn  like  a  boot  or  stocking. 
They  wear  no  head-dress  but  their  long,  coarse 
black  hair.    The  small  children  wear  "  Adam-skin." 

Nov.  22.  Besides  the  young  chief  Louis,  who 
has  been  so  attentive  to  us,  another  young  man 
claims  to  be  a  chief,  under  the  name  of  Captain 
Lorice.  He  professes  great  friendship  for  us, 
often  coming  to  our  tent  with  a  piece  of  roast 
meat,  and  trying  to  talk  with  us.  When  either  of 
these  chiefs  is  with  us  we  have  little  annoyance 
from  other  visitors,  but  in  their  absence  we  are 
often  troubled  by  the  lower  class  of  the  savages, 
especially  by  mothers  and  children  who  try  to  ex- 
amine all  our  baggage,  often  asking  us  with  no 
little  impudence  to  open  all  our  packages  and  ex- 
hibit the  contents.      They  beg    relentlessly,  and 


VISITING    THE  INDIAN  CAMP. 


77 


pilfer  small  articles  whenever  they  find  opportu- 
nity. 

Twelve  of  the  savages  amused  themselves  a 
long  time  to-day  by  playing  a  game  of  ball.  In 
this  exercise  they  threw  off  their  mantles,  and  ex- 
erted themselves  in  a  state  of  nudity,  having  no 
clothing  upon  them  except  the  strip  around  the 
loins.  Their  ball  is  nothing  but  a  round  knot  of 
wood ;  their  bat  is  a  stick  two  feet  long,  and 
crooked  at  one  end  like  the  handle  of  a  pistol. 
With  this  they  drive  the  ball  along  the  ground, 
apparently  without  order  or  system. 

They  have  a  few  cards  with  which  they  occa- 
sionally play,  but  we  have  seen  no  gambling  as 
yet. 

At  noon  Captain  Louis  led  up  a  horse  in  front 
of  his  cabin,  when  another  Indian,  standing  about 
six  feet  in  front  of  the  animal,  shot  an  arrow  into 
his  breast.  The  arrow  penetrated  eighteen  inches, 
entering  the  heart.  In  a  few  minutes  the  horse 
staggered  and  fell  dead,  and  soon  it  was  dressed 
and  prepared  for  cooking — head,  feet,  entrails,  and 
all.  Shortly  after  several  pieces  were  brought  to 
us  roasted.  On  these  we  dined.  The  horse  was 
fat,  and  the  meat  tender  and  not  unpalatable,  es- 
pecially for  men  in  our  hungry  condition. 


78  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

As  the  savages  find  their  game  so  wild  and  fleet 
that  it  cannot  be  procured  without  vigorous  exer- 
tions, and  as  they  are  supremely  indolent,  they  are 
quite  liable  to  get  out  of  food,  when  their  only 
recourse  is  to  slaughter  a  horse.  Though  they 
caught  three  guanacos  yesterday,  all  were  con- 
sumed at  once  ;  for,  divided  among  a  hundred  half- 
starved  people,  there  was  but  a  small  pittance  for 
each  individual. 

This  afternoon  we  found  that  a  good  cord  be- 
longing to  our  tent  was  missing.  Of  this  we  in- 
formed Louis,  who  immediately  commenced  a 
search  from  hovel  to  hovel,  until  he  found  and  re- 
stored it  to  us.  He  seemed  to  feel  badly  on  ac- 
count of  the  affair,  and  many  of  the  savages 
gathered  around  us  to  protest  their  own  innocence 
of  the  offence.  This  showed  some  sense  of  right 
and  wrong  in  their  minds,  and  our  action  in  the 
case  seemed  to  impress  them  favorably.  At  first 
we  debated  the  question  as  to  the  prudence,  in 
this  early  stage  of  our  acquaintance  with  the  In- 
dians, of  complaining  of  this  petty  theft ;  but  as 
it  was  obvious  that  even  these  ignorant  beings 
had  some  notions  of  the  right,  and  as  we  feared 
that  a  neglect  to  notice  the  affair  would  embolden 
them  to  further  depredations,  we  resolved  to  be 


^^m 


VISITING    THE  INDIAN  CAMP. 


79 


decided  with  them  in  the  outset,  and,  if  possible, 
to  check  the  evil  in  the  bud.  Thus  far  the  effect 
is  decidedly  favorable.  The  chiefs  tell  us  that 
they  must  soon  remove  to  some  place  where 
guanacos  are  plenty,  and  ask  if  we  will  go  with 
them.  Of  course  we  have  no  alternative,  as  our 
lives  depend  on  their  supply  of  food.  Our  lot 
is  cast  with  the  savages  for  better  or  for  worse, 
and  we  wish  to  travel  wherever  they  go,  to  see  the 
country. 

Nov.  23.  The  weather  has  been  fine  for  most  of 
the  time  since  we  came  up  into  the  country. 
Gentle  spring  showers  are  frequent,  and  the  air  is 
mild  and  salubrious. 

Early  in  the  morning  I  rambled  out  and  climbed 
one  of  the  highest  peaks  of  the  northern  range  of 
hills  under  which  we  are  encamped.  It  is  covered 
with  grass  to  its  summit,  and  I  saw  three  guanacos 
feeding  on  its  side.  I  also  started  a  gray  fox,  an 
animal  common  in  this  countr}^ 

From  the  top  of  this  hill  I  had  a  grand  and  ex- 
tended view  of  the  surrounding  country.  The 
landscape  consists  of  vast  plains,  studded  here  and 
there  with  isolated  conical  hills,  and  skirted  by 
low  mountain  ranges.  But  silence  and  desolation 
reign  everywhere.     No  voice  of  man  or  beast  or 


go  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

bird  echoed  through  the  stillness.  The  three  gua- 
nacos  shot  off  at  reindeer  speed,  and  were  soon 
out  of  sight,  and  the  fox  sneaked  noiselessly  away 
and  disappeared.  No  pretty  villages  nestled 
among  shade-trees ;  no  lowing  herds,  or  bleating 
flocks,  or  gamboling  lambkins  gave  life  and  beau- 
ty to  the  landscape,  or  broke  its  everlasting  slum- 
bers. 

I  returned  to  the  camp,  and  found  it  almost 
desolate.  A  large  company  of  Indians  had  gone 
out  on  a  hunting  expedition,  while  most  of  the 
available  women  and  children  went  a  longdistance 
to  the  hills,  where  they  gathered  fungus  excrescen- 
ces from  old  trees.  These  fungi  consist  of  small 
globular  masses,  quite  dry  and  tasteless,  which  the 
savages  eat  with  their  meat  as  we  would  eat 
popped  corn.  They  returned  at  evening  with 
small  quantities  of  this  insipid  article,  which  they 
call  chouct  and  of  which  they  seem  fond.  They 
gave  us  a  little,  and  we  eat  it  for  want  of  bread  or 
vegetables. 

Our  camp  has  been  quiet,  as  so  many  have  been 
absent  and  we  have  not  experienced  our  usual 
annoyances. 

We  have  been  well  supplied  with  horse-beef  to- 
day, roasted    or   boiled  in   an  old  iron    pot,  and 


VISITING    THE  INDIAN  CAMP.  gl 

brought  to  us  by  the  savages  when  they  took  their 
own  meals. 

The  hunting  party  returned  with  seven  guana- 
cos,  and  our  food  is  just  now  abundant.  Captain 
Louis  brought  me  a  pair  of  trousers  to-day,  re- 
ceived on  board  the  Mary  Jane,  and  requested  me 
to  piece  them,  as  they  are  too  small !  He  often 
brings  us  little  tasks,  and  seems  much  pleased  by 
our  ability  and  readiness  to  help  him.  He  has 
spent  much  of  the  day  with  us,  and  he  exhibits 
the  same  inquiring  disposition,  often  asking  us  the 
names  of  things  in  English,  and  then  giving  us 
their  Patagonian  names.  We  are  more  and  more 
pleased  with  his  kindness,  and  feel  glad  to  have 
him  with  us.  He  loves  to  imitate  Americans,  and 
occasionally  comes  out  in  a  full  sailor's  dress 
which  he  has  obtained  of  some  passing  vessel. 

The  old  chief,  father  of  Louis,  had  a  severe 
colic  to-day,  and  groaned  heavily  with  pain.  Mr. 
Arms  gave  him  a  sedative,  which  soon  relieved  the 
pain  and  surprised  the  gazing  savages. 

Our  almost  constant  music  during  the  day  is 
the  noise  of  children  and  the  barking  and  yelling 
of  dogs.  These  animals  are  extremely  poor,  and 
whenever  meat  or  bones  are  thrown  out  to  them 
there  is  a  horrid  squabble  of  a  whole  pack,  and 


82  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

the  weaker  escape  limping  from  the  jaws  of  the 
stronger  with  yells  which  are  piercing.  Besides 
this  their  owners  are  almost  constantly  beating 
them  with  clubs,  keeping  up  an  incessant  uproar 
in  the  canine  family. 

Sunday,  Nov.  24.  The  Indians  had  a  long  game 
at  ball-play  this  forenoon  ;  otherwise  the  day  has 
been  quiet.  We  have  never  seen  our  young  chief 
Louis  at  a  game  of  ball.  Is  it  because  he  regards 
his  dignity  too  highly  ?  We  cannot  say.  As  yet 
we  have  seen  nothing  which  looks  like  religious 
rites  among  this  people,  nor  do  we  know  whether 
they  have  any  notions  of  a  Supreme  Being  or  a 
future  state  of  existence.  They  have  crude  ideas 
of  right  and  wrong.  They  praise  and  blame. 
The  thief  is  shy  and  shows  a  sense  of  fear  and 
guilt ;  and  the  man  who  has  lost  a  knife,  a  file,  or 
a  piece  of  meat  by  a  thief  is  full  of  rage  and  curs- 
ing. Of  course  their  moral  code,  or  their  distinc- 
tion between  right  and  wrong,  is  very  imperfect. 
We  are  forcibly  impressed,  however,  with  the 
truth  asserted  by  Paul  in  regard  to  the  heathen 
who  have  not  the  Scriptures :  "  These  having  not 
the  law,  are  a  law  unto  themselves  ;  who  show  the 
work  of  the  law  written  in  their  hearts,  their  con- 
science also  bearing  witness,  and  their  thoughts 


VISITING    THE   INDIAN  CAMP.  83 

the  mean  while  accusing  or  else  excusing  one  an- 
other." 

Most  of  this  day  we  have  spent  in  our  Httle 
tabernacle,  where  we  have  been  visited  by  many  of 
the  Indians,  who  have  been  very  civil;  and  we 
have  tried  to  interest  them  by  signs.  Bufah  !  it  is 
hard  to  be  surrounded  by  these  gazing,  chattering 
savages  without  being  able  to  teach  them  of  "  the 
true  God  and  Eternal  Life."  We  long  for  an  in- 
terpreter, to  open  an  avenue  to  their  understand- 
ings and  hearts.     But  our  desires  are  vain. 

These  savages  seem  to  look  upon  us  as  of  a  su- 
perior race  of  beings,  and  they  are  more  and  more 
careful  not  to  do  things  which  appear  to  displease 
us,  often  quietly  asking  liberty  to  come  into  our 
tent,  and  carefully  avoiding  meddling  with  our 
furniture  without  leave. 

We  show  them  maps  and  pictures,  and  interest 
them  with  object-lessons  so  far  as  we  have  the 
means  to  teach  them.  The  effect  of  checking 
them  when  noisy  and  rude,  and  in  every  effort  to 
commit  petty  depredations,  appears  favorable  ; 
and  thus  we  are  enabled  to  impress  them  with 
some  moral  lessons  and  to  lead  them  in  some  de- 
gree. We  look  upon  them  with  pity  and  compas- 
sion, and  they  gaze  upon  us  with  unceasing  wonder. 


84  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

Nov.  25.  Cold  and  uncomfortable.  Spent  most 
of  the  day  in  our  tent  making  a  flannel  shirt  for 
our  chief.  He  watches  the  work  with  great  inter- 
est, and  many  others  crowd  around  to  see  us  use 
the  needle.  All  our  operations  are  watched  by 
scores  of  curious  eyes. 

A  grand  hunt  to-day,  and  the  party  returned 
at  evening  with  ten  guanacos.  Captain  Louis 
brought  home  a  fine  young  calf,  and  presented  it 
whole  and  undressed,  to  us.  This  gives  us  a  good 
supply  for  several  days  ;  but  we  have  no  salt  for 
preserving  meat.  The  natives  use  no  salt,  although 
there  is  salt  in  the  interior;  but  the  air  is  cold  and 
pure,  and  meat  can  be  kept  three  days  by  hanging 
it  out  in  the  wind.  When  their  fresh  meat  is 
abundant  they  jerk  it,  then  smoke  and  pound  it 
into  a  Patagonian  pcmmican.  This  they  often 
preserve  against  a  famine,  a  long  storm,  or  winter 
when  the  snows  arc  deep.  Hitherto  we  have  let 
the  Indians  bring  us  our  food  cooked.  To-morrow 
we  propose  to  commence  cooking  for  ourselves, 
as  their  cookery  is  wretched. 

Nov.  26.  After  retiring  last  evening,  we  heard 
for  a  long  time  what  appeared  to  be  a  speech 
or  harangue  in  the  tent  of  our  chief.  The  tones 
of  voice   expressed  great  earnestness  and  anima- 


VISITING    THE  INDIAN  CAMP.  85 

tion,  and  were  finely  modulated  for  a  public 
speaker. 

What  the  nature  and  occasion  of  this  declama- 
tion were  we  are  unable  to  learn.  Our  ears  were 
also  saluted  by  harsh,  monotonous  singing  in 
some  of  the  tents  for  most  of  the  night,  so  that 
we  slept  but  little. 

To-day,  by  permission  of  our  hosts,  we  com- 
menced cooking  our  own  food.  And  though  our 
bill  of  fare  is  still  limited  to  one  article,  we  find  a 
decided  improvement  in  our  meals. 

During  our  culinary  operations  the  natives 
crowded  around  in  large  numbers,  and  with  an  in- 
tense curiosity,  wondering  at  our  strange  manoeu- 
vres. We  can  practise  but  three  modes  of  cook- 
ing— roasting,  frying,  and  boiling — but  these  will 
give  us  a  little  variety  in  our  dishes. 

Nov.  27.  This  day  has  passed  like  most  of 
the  days  since  we  came  to  this  camp.  The  poor 
savages  lounge  around  us  from  morning  to  night, 
unless  hunger  drives  them  out  to  hunt.  They  both 
excite  our  sympathy  and  try  our  patience.  Most 
of  them  are  quiet  and  civil  when  they  pay  us  a 
visit,  but  one  woman  is  more  troublesome  than  all 
the  rest  of  the  tribe  ;  indeed  we  both  agree  that 
she  is  the  most  vexatious  creature  we  ever  met 


86  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

in  human  form.  She  is  large,  ill-formed,  dark- 
visaged,  greasy,  and  filthy.  These  physical  defects 
we  could  endure ;  but  her  spiritual  composition 
seems  to  consist  of  all  that  is  revolting  in  impu- 
dence and  villainy.  Her  visits  are  long  and  fre- 
quent ;  she  seems  determined  to  handle  and  ex- 
amine every  bag,  box,  trunk,  and  all  other  articles 
in  our  tent ;  and  she  is  perpetually  begging  for 
herself  and  children,  of  whom  she  has  a  large 
brood.  She  rarely  fails  to  be  present  at  our  meals, 
looking  into  our  saucepan,  peeping  into  every  dish, 
and  begging  everything  we  cook.  To-day  she  had 
the  assurance  to  dash  her  brawny  hand  into  our 
soup  and  haul  out  some  of  the  meat.  This  was 
not  occasioned  by  hunger,  as  there  is  now  an 
abundance  of  meat  in  her  tent.  We  treat  her  with 
as  much  inattention  as  possible,  and  have  resolved 
to  give  her  nothing  she  asks  for  until  she  ceases 
her  impudent  begging,  persuaded  that  to  gratify 
her  wishes  would  only  make  her  visits  more  fre- 
quent and  her  demands  more  intolerable. 

Sometimes  she  seems  vexed  by  our  neglect, 
and  leaves  us  in  a  pet,  growling  and  muttering 
as  she  goes ;  and  we  indulge  the  momentary 
hope  that  we  shall  have  less  of  her  company  hence- 
forth.    But  she  soon  returns  to  the  attack  with 


VISITING   THE  INDIAN  CAMP.  87 

renewed  vigor,  and  we  have  only  to  entrench  our- 
selves again  with  apparent  indifference,  and  thus 
to  stand  on  the  defensive  until  the  storm  is  over. 
Such  cases  only  impress  us  more  and  more  with 
the  absolute  degradation  of  these  savages. 

Nov.  28.  Cold  and  dreary.  We  spend  a  large 
portion  of  our  time  in  reading,  writing,  and 
studying  Spanish. 

We  hear  that  there  are  some  Indians  in  other 
clans  who  know  more  Spanish  and  English  words 
than  any  we  have  yet  met.  We  learn,  also,  that 
there  are  several  runaway  captive  sailors  among 
the  northern  clans,  and  that  these  clans  will  soon 
visit  us,  with  the  queen,  Maria,  and  these  English 
and  American  captives.  We  therefore  await  with 
great  interest  their  arrival,  hoping  to  find  some 
better  medium  of  communication  than  we  now 
have,  and  thus  to  learn  more  of  the  country  and 
its  inhabitants. 

The  Indians  come  to  us  in  crowds,  filling  our 
tent,  squatting  before  the  door,  and  straining  their 
black  eyes  to  look  in  and  see  what  we  are  doing. 
Many  of  them  are  pleasant  in  their  demeanor,  and 
bring  us  pieces  of  meat.  But  we  depend  chiefly 
upon  our  host,  Louis,  to  supply  our  wants. 

Our  mode  of  cooking  and  eating  affords  them 


88  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

great  amusement,  and  the  smell  of  our  soup  or  our 
roast  is  a  signal  for  them  to  rally  and  come  to  our 
tent.  They  sit  and  look  at  us,  and  then  talk  ear- 
nestly and  laugh,  then  look  again  and  again,  even 
trying  to  look  down  our  throats,  enjoying  their 
diversions  heartily.  This  is  a  great  annoyance,  but 
we  must  bear  it  patiently  ;  it  will  pass  off  when 
their  curiosity  is  satisfied.  These  savages,  like  all 
others,  are  fond  of  ornaments.  We  find  the  brass 
thimbles  we  gave  them,  with  needles  and  thread 
for  sewing,  punched  with  holes,  strung  on  strings, 
and  hung  around  their  necks  or  upon  their  breasts. 

The  troublesome  woman  mentioned  yesterday 
is,  we  learn,  the  wife  of  Captain  Lorice.  The  hus- 
band has  appeared  kind  and  friendly,  but  he  seems 
greatly  under  her  dictatorial  influence ;  petticoat 
government,  so  to  speak,  being  by  no  means  un- 
known even  in  Patagonia.  She  not  only  begs  her- 
self and  teaches  her  children  to  beg,  but  she  has 
set  her  husband  on  to  beg  likewise. 

Wc  now  learn  that  there  is  not  the  most  perfect 
harmony  between  the  families  of  the  two  chiefs. 
This  arises,  as  we  suppose,  from  envy  and  jealousy 
on  the  part  of  this  woman,  whom  wc  have  dubbed 
*'  Jezebel." 

Lorice  came  alone  to  our  tent  to-day  and   told 


VISITING   THE  INDIAN  CAMP.  89 

US  that  he  should  strike  tents  to-morrow  and  go  to 
another  place,  urging  us  to  abandon  our  host, 
Louis,  and  go  with  him.  He  offered  to  furnish 
us  with  good  horses,  to  care  for  our  luggage,  and 
to  supply  all  our  wants.  He  pointed  to  the  hut 
of  Captain  Louis  and,  with  a  frown,  cried  out, 
"  Malo,  malo  !  manana!" — Bad,  bad  !  to-morrow! 
We  fear  that  a  storm  is  gathering,  and  that 
trouble  may  come  to  the  camp.  Louis  has  said 
nothing  to  us  on  the  subject,  but  a  settled 
thoughtfulness  on  his  countenance,  for  now  several 
days  past,  has  indicated  that  his  heart  was  heavy. 
Our  resolution,  however,  is  taken.  Trusting 
calmly  in  Him  who  has  ever  been  our  protector, 
we  will  not  forsake  our  trusty  and  faithful  friend 
Louis,  who  seems  to  have  been  sent  of  God  to 
meet  us,  first  of  all,  in  Patagonia,  and  to  be  our 
host  and  guide  thus  far  in  this  "  howling  wilder- 
ness." 


CHAPTER  VI. 

A   SQUALL. 

Nov.  30.  We  wrote  nothing  yesterday. 

What  we  feared  on  the  28th  came  upon  us  on 
the  29th.  Early  yesterday  morning  Lorice  and 
his  Jezebel  came  to  see  us,  and  wished  us  to  strike 
our  tent  and  prepare  to  go  with  them — where,  we 
of  course  did  not  know.  Many  of  the  women 
were  taking  down  their  hovels  and  preparing  all 
their  stuff  for  removing,  while  the  men  were  bring- 
ing up  their  horses  for  decamping.  We  looked  at 
the  tent  of  Louis,  which  was  still  untouched.  But 
as  most  of  the  tents  around  were  coming  down  we 
felt  it  prudent  to  begin  arranging  our  luggage, 
lest  wc  should  be  left  alone.  Meanwhile  the  chief, 
Lorice,  with  his  Jezebel  were  assailing  Louis  and 
his  friends  with  angry  language.  She  especially 
seemed  full  of  fury,  and  her  face  and  eyes  looked 
fiendish,  and  we  every  moment  looked  for  blows. 
At  length,  however,  there  was  a  calm,  and  we 
hoped  that  the  squall  was  over.     We  struck  our 


A    SQUALL.  pi 

tent,  and  Louis  struck  his.  Jezebel  came  and 
took  a  small  medicine-chest  and  some  other  ar- 
ticles, and  packed  them  on  her  horse.  Other 
squaws  took  other  articles,  until  one  half  or  more 
of  our  baggage  was  upon  horses. 

All  at  once  the  storm  broke  upon  us  with  double 
fury.  Jezebel  dashed  our  chest  of  medicines  on 
the  ground,  breaking  vials  and  doing  much  dam- 
age ;  then  she  threw  off  all  our  luggage  and  scat- 
tered it  hither  and  thither,  storming  and  raging 
like  a  fury.  At  once  the  clan  began  to  resolve 
itself  into  two  hostile  parties  ;  the  larger  number 
clinging  to  Lorice  and  his  vixen,  and  the  smaller 
ranging  with  our  friend  Louis.  The  war  of  words 
went  on  and  waxed  hotter  and  hotter,  till  it  as- 
sumed the  fur}'  of  a  whirlwind.  At  length  the 
vixen  with  her  whelps  flew  at  the  hair  and  eyes  of 
our  friend,  and  he  was  thrown  upon  the  ground, 
kicked,  scratched,  beaten,  his  hair  pulled  out,  his 
ear-jewels  rent  from  his  ears  ;  he  was  soon  smeared 
with  sweat,  dirt,  and  blood.  Louis's  party  came 
to  his  help,  but  the  opposite  side  outnumbered 
them  two  to  one,  and  the  weaker  party  were 
roughly  handled.  ]^.Iany  were  thrown  upon  the 
ground  and  dragged  by  the  hair,  with  faces  and 
limbs  begrimed  with  dust  and  blood.     The  old 


92  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA, 

chiefs,  Louis's  father  and  mother,  tall,  venerable 
savages  of  not  less  than  seventy  years,  fought  des- 
perately for  their  son  and  his  family.  But  they, 
too,  were  overpowered  by  numbers  and  thrown 
upon  the  ground. 

It  was  a  miserable  sight,  while  the  struggle  was 
going  on,  to  see  the  bloody  and  beseeching  face 
of  Louis,  as  he  lay  prostrate  on  the  ground,  grasp- 
ing with  one  hand  a  large  bag  of  clothing  and 
various  articles  belonging  to  us,  and  with  the  other 
trying  to  protect  himself  from  his  savage  foes,  and 
beckoning  to  us  to  come  and  help  him  in  protect- 
ing our  own  property.  But  we  had,  alas  !  no 
power  to  help.  We  sat  on  the  ground  in  full  view 
of  the  trying  scene,  and  could  only  signify  by 
looks  and  gestures  our  disapproval,  and  our  wish 
to  see  peace  and  harmony  restored. 

At  length  the  struggle  abated  from  the  sheer 
exhaustion  of  the  combatants,  and  the  parties, 
with  torn  ears,  noses,  and  skins,  and  with  di- 
shevelled hair,  sat  down  in  two  lines,  facing  each 
other  in  sullen  silence.  We  improved  the  armis- 
tice in  endeavoring  by  signs  and  looks  to  make  a 
peace.  But  hot  blood  was  up,  and  the  flinty 
Patagonian  wills  were  not  yet  softened.  After  a 
short  breathing-spell  the  two  lines  rose  and  at- 


A    SQUALL.  93 

tacked  each  other  again  in  a  hand-to-hand  fight 
as  before  ;  while  we  again  looked  on  with  amaze- 
ment and  grief,  not  knowing  how  the  strife  would 
end. 

But  the  second  struggle  was  shorter  than  the 
first,  and  again  the  parties  sat  down  exhausted. 
An  Indian  who  had  always  appeared  mild  and 
friendly  then  rose,  and  commenced  to  harangue 
both  parties  in  eloquent  tones.  He  spoke  for 
about  fifteen  minutes,  and  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
chain  the  attention  of  all.  His  speech  was 
marked  with  energy,  animation,  and  pathos;  he 
had  varied  and  melodious  intonations  of  voice, 
and  used  seemingly  appropriate  gestures.  Of 
course  we  regretted  exceedingly  that  we  could 
not  understand  his  language. 

All  was  hushed  during  the  harangue ;  and  in 
a  few  minutes  after  its  close,  the  parties  rose 
up,  brought  together  their  strayed  horses,  gath- 
ered the  scattered  ddbris  of  the  fight,  and  reload- 
ed the  animals,  each  party  furnishing  half  the 
horses  for  the  luggage.  One  party  brought  a  horse 
to  Mr.  Arms,  and  the  other  party  one  for  me. 
This  amicable  settlement  by  compromise  revealed 
the  cause  of  the  fight.  Each  party  wanted  to 
keep  the  strangers,  and  neither  would  yield    its 


94 


ADVENTURES  IN  PATAG0NL4. 


claims  until  exhausted  by  fighting.  This  remind- 
ed us  of  what  men  call  civilized  and  Christianized 
warfare.  Had  these  savages  reasoned  better,  they 
would  have  settled  their  respective  claims  by 
arbitration  or  by  mutual  concessions  and  agree- 
ment without  a  fight.  But  in  savage  and  in  civil- 
ized warfare,  after  blood  has  been  shed,  property 
destroyed,  misery  inflicted,  and  hatred  engen- 
dered, the  parties  come  back  upon  the  right  ground 
of  settlement,  that  of  negotiation  and  reason. 

It  was  fortunate  for  these  Patagonians  that 
they  were  not  armed  with  deadly  weapons.  We 
saw  no  fire-arms,  bows  and  arrows,  knives,  or 
clubs  in  use  on  this  occasion  ;  and  no  lives  were 
sacrificed. 

At  2)^  ^•^'f-  "^vs  were  again  ready  for  our 
march,  and  after  travelling  some  ten  miles  over  a 
northern  ridge,  we  encamped  at  6|-  in  a  quiet 
notch  in  the  mountains.  Here  we  erected  our 
tent,  kindled  a  fire,  and  prepared  our  supper. 
Our  friend  Louis  came  to  our  help,  and  brought 
us  the  head  and  neck  of  a  guanaco  which  he  had 
killed  by  the  way. 

Thus  after  a  day  of  fatigue  and  solicitude  we 
were  permitted  to  lie  down  once  more  in  peace. 

During  the  live-long   night  the    Indians    were 


A    SQUALL.  pj 

very  noisy,  singing,  talking,  and  haranguing. 
This  interrupted  our  sleep,  yet  we  had  no  fears, 
as  all  seemed  good-natured,  with  no  evidence  of 
anger  or  contention. 

Perhaps  they  were  like  soldiers  in  camp,  re- 
hearsing the  dangers  escaped,  the  skill  and  cun- 
ning of  the  tactics,  the  valor  and  prowess  dis- 
played, the  trophies  won,  and  the  glories  which 
crowned  the  field  and  the  fight. 

Early  this  morning  a  large  party  took  up  their 
horses  and  went  off  on  a  grand  hunt,  and  we  have 
been  permitted  to  spend  a  quiet  and  peaceful 
day  in  writing  and  study. 

Stmday,  Dec.  i.  The  place  of  our  new  encamp- 
ment is  somewhat  similar  to  the  one  we  left. 
We  are  in  a  cosey  nook  among  hills,  with  grassy 
valleys  in  the  near  vicinity,  and  surrounded  with 
prairie-lands  studded  with  conical,  truncated,  and 
elongated  sand-dunes.  On  the  pampas  the  grass 
is  coarse  and  bunchy.  In  the  alluvial  valleys  the 
soil  is  rich  and  the  grasses  luxuriant.  Every- 
where the  soil  is  sandy,  and,  what  strikes  us  as 
remarkable,  we  have  not  yet  seen  a  rock,  a 
boulder,  or  a  pebble  big  enough  to  throw  at  a 
bird. 

A  rill  of  pure  water  runs  along  our  valley,  and. 


gS  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

as  is  usual,  a  little  clump  of  thorny  bushes  is 
near  by. 

These  shrubs  are  now  in  leaf  and  blossom,  and 
from  extreme  longing  for  cereals  or  vegetable 
food  I  go  to  these  bushes  to  browse,  eating  the 
leaves,  buds,  and  flowers.  They  are  slightly  acid, 
and  afford  a  little  relief  to  the  strong  appetite  for 
some  other  food  than  flesh. 

Not  succeeding  yesterday,  the  savages  have 
gone  out  to-day  on  another  hunt.  This  is  the 
first  Sabbath  they  have  chanced  to  spend  thus 
since  we  have  been  among  them. 

This  morning  "  Jezebel"  came  to  visit  us  again. 
We  had  indulged  the  hope  that  after  the  fight  of 
the  memorable  29th  her  visits  would  be  "  few  and 
far  between,"  and  brief  withal.  But  all  disputes 
being  amicably  settled  between  the  belligerents, 
on  she  comes  again.  With  face  lighted  up  like 
moonshine  upon  a  thunder-cloud,  she  invited  me 
to  go  to  her  husband's  tent  and  receive  a  piece  of 
meat.  I  went  and  brought  the  present ;  but  it 
was  only  a  few  minutes  before  she  returned  and 
began  begging  this  thing  and  that,  with  her  char- 
acteristic audacity.  It  was  a  long  time  before  we 
could  get  rid  of  her,  and  when  she  turned  her 
broad  back  we  breathed  freely  again. 


A    SQUALL.  97 

This  is  the  first  visit  we  have  received  from  any 
of  the  Lorice  family  since  the  fight.  The  reason 
evidently  is  because  they  cannot  succeed  in  de- 
taching us  from  our  old  and  tried  friends  the 
Louis  family. 

The  savages,  as  before  stated,  pitch  their  tents 
nearly  in  a  straight  line,  the  old  chief  and  his  son 
on  the  right  and  Lorice  on  the  left.  Our  tent  is 
again  pitched  close  to  Louis's. 

My  companion  has  been  ailing  to-day,  so  that 
he  has  kept  his  bed.  Probably  this  is,  in  part  at 
least,  on  account  of  the  great  change  in  our  diet 
and  the  fatigue  and  excitement  of  the  two  days 
past. 

The  wife  of  the  old  chief  has  come  to  our  tent 
several  times  to-day  to  look  after  the  sick  man. 
She  appears  very  sympathetic,  and  evidently  longs 
to  do  something  to  help  him.  We  are  becoming 
not  a  little  attached  to  this  fine  old  woman,  and 
begin  to  call  her  mother.  Her  husband  is  a  pa- 
triarchial  man  in  appearance.  Each  of  them  is 
six  feet  high,  and  they  are  venerable  in  their  three 
score  and  ten  years.  There  is  something  so  no- 
ble, so  kind,  and  so  generous  in  this  aged  couple 
that  we  are  strongly  drawn  toward  them.  How 
ardently  we  long  to  bring  the  invitations  of  the 


g8  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

Gospel  to  them  !  for  we  almost  feel  assured  that 
while  thousands  of  the  youth  and  the  well-in- 
formed in  our  land  reject  the  "glad  tidings,"  this 
aged  couple  would  receive  the  truth  with  the  do- 
cility of  little  children. 

Dec.  2.  Mr.  Arms  is  well  again.  We  washed 
some  clothes  to-day,  and  the  Indians  gathered 
around  us  in  droves.  All  appeared  full  of  curios- 
ity on  seeing  the  process.  Probably  they  had 
never  seen  washing  before,  for  although  there  are 
a  few  cotton  and  woollen  garments,  such  as  shirts, 
among  them,  yet  we  have  never  seen  them  wash 
anything,  not  even  their  hands  and  faces,  nor  have 
we  ever  seen  one  of  them  bathe,  or  a  mother  wash 
her  pappoose. 

The  old  chief  and  his  wife  made  us  a  long, 
friendly  visit  to-day.  They  seem  very  cordial  and 
paternal  in  their  friendship,  and  we  enjoyed  their 
visit. 

During  their  stay  our  thorny  "  Jezebel"  came 
and  looked  in  at  our  door,  but  seeing  us  enter- 
taining some  of  the  family  she  hates,  she  turned 
herself  and  went  off  with  an  air  of  bitter  con- 
tempt. We  were  glad  thus  to  escape  another 
siege,  and  felt  under  much  obligation  to  our  aged 
friends  for  protecting  our  castle  from  an  attack. 


A    SQUALL.  99 

At  evening  we  closed  our  tent  early  and  ob- 
served the  monthly  concert  of  prayer.  This  is 
the  first  season  of  the  kind  we  have  spent  on 
heathen  ground.  We  were  but  "  two"  in  number, 
yet  we  had  the  promise  of  a  third,  and  this  was  a 
joy.  We  had  often  prayed  for  the  heathen  be- 
fore, but  never  before  among  the  heathen.  We 
had  often  prayed  for  missionaries  before,  but 
never  before  with  such  a  knowledge  of  the  trials 
and  the  wants  of  missionaries. 

Dec.  3.  It  is  midsummer  with  us,  and  while 
our  northern  homes  are  ice-bound  we  are  bathing 
in  a  hot  summer  sun.  Our  Indians  are  now  well 
supplied  with  food,  and,  in  accordance  with  their 
lazy  habits,  some  are  snoozing  in  their  cabins 
and  others  are  stretched  out  upon  the  ground, 
basking  like  seals  in  the  solar  rays.  There  will 
be  no  more  hunting  and  no  more  labor  until 
their  present  supply  of  meat  shall  be  exhausted. 

Thus  far  our  fears  of  suffering  from  hunger  have 
not  been  realized.  He  that  "  heareth  the  young 
ravens  when  they  cry"  has  liberally  spread  our 
table,  if  not  with  the  luxuries,  yet  with  the  neces- 
saries of  life. 

Dec.  4.  Rambling  this  morning  in  search  of 
edible  roots  or  greens,  many  children    followed 


lOO  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

me,  and  perceiving  me  digging  the  ground,  as  if 
hunting  for  something,  they  pointed  out  a  small 
bulb  which,  as  they  signified,  was  edible.  We 
dug  a  small  mess  and  boiled  them,  finding  them 
quite  refreshing,  though  we  had  never  seen  the 
savages  eat  them.  Their  appearance  is  like  that 
of  a  small  garlic,  and  the  taste  somewhat  like  a 
turnip.  They  were,  however,  very  scarce,  and  we 
never  found  them  in  any  other  place. 

A  little  before  noon  we  perceived  a  movement 
in  the  camp,  and  in  a  few  minutes  every  tent 
except  that  of  the  old  chief  and  family  was 
struck  and  the  houses  packed  for  decamping. 
This  sudden  and  to  us  mysterious  movement  was 
ordered  by  the  chief  Lorice ;  but  for  what  reason 
we  could  not  determine.  Previously,  when  the 
Indians  were  about  to  remove,  they  have  given 
us  timely  notice  and  invited  us  to  go  with  them. 
On  this  occasion  nothing  was  said  to  us  until 
most  of  the  clan  had  moved  off. 

As  our  host  Louis  remained  quiet  all  this  time, 
we  went  to  inquire  what  this  meant.  He  signi- 
fied that  the  party  in  motion  were  going  out  to 
meet  the  old  queen  Maria,  and  that  he  and  his 
small  family  would  remain  and  look  after  us  until 
their  return.     Meanwhile  Lorice  lingered  about 


A    SQUALL.  loi 

the  camp-ground  until  all  of  his  party  had  left. 
He  then  made  us  a  call  of  some  twenty  minutes, 
and  departed  to  follow  his  party.  Louis  rode  out 
with  them  some  distance,  but  returned  before 
night  bringing  a  fresh  guanaco  which  he  had  killed 
on  the  way,  and  of  which  he  gave  us  nearly  half. 

We  are  now  left  with  a  single  family,  formerly 
consisting  of  the  old  chief  and  wife  and  five  chil- 
dren :  two  sons  and  three  daughters.  The  two 
older  sisters  and  a  woman  whom  we  supposed  to 
be  Louis's  wife  went  off  with  the  clan,  leaving  only 
the  old  couple  and  Louis  with  a  brother  and  sis- 
ter younger  than  he,  five  in  all,  with  us.  Where 
we  shall  go  next,  or  what  the  morrow  will  reveal, 
is  all  uncertain.  All  is  quiet,  and  in  the  deserted 
camp  there  is  a  feeling  of  solitude  which  is  a  lit- 
tle oppressive. 

Dtx.  5.  The  peace  and  stillness  around  make  it 
seem  like  a  Sabbath.  No  romping  and  squalling 
children,  no  rude  and  noisy  men,  and  few  dogs 
are  to  be  heard. 

Seeing  a  dozen  guanacos  on  a  distant  hill,  our 
chief  offered  me  his  gun  and  wished  me  to  go  in 
pursuit  of  them.  Accordingly  I  went,  and  after 
walking  about  two  miles  I  came  in  full  view  of 
more  than  thirty  feeding  in  a  herd.     At  a  dis- 


I02  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

tance  they  resembled  a  drove  of  colts ;  on  being 
approached  they  neighed  like  colts.  "  I  came,  I 
saw  ;"  the  animals,  too,  saw — and  snorted  and  dis- 
appeared. I  returned  with  gun  and  charge,  heat- 
ed and  wearied,  but  with  no  game.  It  is  next  to 
impossible  to  get  near  enough  to  a  guanaco  to 
bring  him  down  with  a  rifle. 

Dec.  6.  Having  intimated  to  our  host  that  we 
needed  more  covering  at  night,  he  immediately 
presented  us  with  several  young  guanaco-skins, 
and  his  mother  and  sister  set  about  making  them 
into  a  bed-spread  for  us. 

We  have  only  to  make  known  our  wants  to  this 
family  and  they  are  at  once  supplied  to  the  ex- 
tent of  their  ability.  Our  Indian  mother  still 
treats  us  with  true  kindness,  and  endeavors  to 
prevent  all  unnecessary  annoyances.  If  the  dogs 
become  troublesome  while  we  are  dressing  our 
meat,  or  cooking,  she  comes  with  her  rod  to  chas- 
tise them  and  to  teach  them  manners.  The  two 
children  appear  affectionate  and  obedient.  They 
never  trouble  us  like  many  of  the  other  children 
when  they  visit  us,  and  they  show  no  inclination 
to  pilfer  little  articles.  In  point  of  intellect, 
sprightliness,  and  pleasantry  they  would  not  suf- 


I 


A   SQUALL.  103 

fer  by  comparison  with  many  children  of  civiUzed 
countries. 

Dec.  7.  Louis  went  out  on  a  hunt  and  brought 
in  a  large  supply  of  fresh  meat,  which  he  shared 
liberally  with  us.  When  we  are  overstocked  with 
venison,  we  jerk  a  part  and  keep  it  against  a  time 
of  scarcity. 

Our  chief  tells  us  that  he  belongs  to  a  large 
tribe  who  have  spent  the  winter  far  north,  where 
the  climate  is  mild,  and  that  they  arc  now  com- 
ing south  by  easy  marches  and  will  soon  be  here. 
So  he  remains  to  receive  them.  He  also  says 
that  Lorice  and  his  clan  are  aliens  from  Tierra 
del  Fuego,  and  that  the  northern  Patagonians  do 
not  associate  with  them ;  also  that  they  go  by 
themselves  most  of  the  time.  He  says  that  the 
reason  why  he  associated  with  them  is  because 
he  took  a  woman  of  that  clan,  and  that  she  had 
now  left  him  and  gone  off  with  her  friends. 

We  are  picking  up  Patagonian  words  daily,  and 
our  chief  is  very  eager  to  get  hold  of  English 
words. 

These  quiet  days  afford  us  an  excellent  time 
for  reading,  writing,  study,  and  conversation  with 
our  neighbors,  who  appear  more  and  more  at- 
tached to  us. 


I04  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

We  are  very  anxious  to  see  more  of  the  coun- 
try, to  meet  other  tribes,  and,  if  possible,  to  ob- 
tain horses  and  guides  to  take  us  over  the  western 
mountains  to  the  Pacific  coast,  somewhere  in  the 
region  of  Chiloe  or  among  the  Araucanians  south 
of  Chili.  As  it  now  is,  however,  we  are  shut  up 
to  faith  and  hope,  and  we  must  wait  the  will  of 
our  Master,  and  move  only  when  the  cloud-pillar 
lifts  and  goes  forward.  We  are  in  an  unknown 
wilderness,  surely,  where  all  is  wild  and  strange, 
utterly  helpless  in  ourselves  even  to'  secure  our 
daily  food.  We  can  pray  as  never  before :  "  Guide 
us,  O  thou  great  Jehovah,"  adding  with  special 
earnestness,  "  give  us  day  by  day  our  daily  bread  !" 

The  day  has  been  cold,  with  frequent  falls  of 
rain  and  hail.     Mr.  Arms  is  still  feeble. 

Dec.  8.  Our  host  has  been  out  and  brought  in 
a  guanaco.  A  heavy  frost  covered  the  ground 
this  morning,  and  the  day  has  been  cold  and 
squally.  Angry  clouds  have  been  passing  over, 
and  frequently  discharging  their  chilling  contents 
of  rain  and  hail.  We  wrap  ourselves  up  in  skins 
and  keep  quiet  in  our  quivering  tent. 

Dec.  9.  This  morning  our  young  chief  went  out 
again  with  bolas,  knife,  and  dogs  on  a  hunt  for 
guanacos.     His  aged  father,  who  has  been  mostly 


A    SQUALL.  105 

kept  to  the  camp  for  a  long  time  by  inflamed 
eyes  and  the  infirmities  of  old  age,  also  saddled 
his  steed  and  followed  his  son  to  the  chase.  The 
day  proved  uncomfortable  for  the  expedition,  the 
wind  being  quite  piercing  and  the  rain  falling  al- 
most continuously.  Notwithstanding  this  the 
Indians  returned  w'ith  eleven  guanacos,  most  of 
which  were  young  ones,  as  these  sooner  tire  un- 
der the  chase  and  are  easily  caught  by  the  dogs. 
Of  these  calves  they  gave  us  three  as  our  portion. 

Thus  the  Lord  spreads  our  table  by  the  hands 
of  these  savages,  whose  hearts  he  has  moved  to 
receive  and  support  us  with  a  kindness  and  hos- 
pitality truly  affecting. 

Dec.  10.  Prepared  a  little  spot  of  ground  and 
planted  some  garden-seeds'  to-day,  though  we 
shall  probably  soon  remove  to  some  other  place, 
and  may  never  see  this  spot  again.  We  have  also 
planted  the  seeds  of  various  kinds  of  fruit-trees, 
which  we  hope  may  yet  spring  up  and  bear  fruit, 
though  we  do  not  see  it.  The  restless,  roaming 
habits  of  these  natives  render  it  impossible  to  at- 
tend to  agriculture  among  them.  Captain  Louis 
went  out  and  returned  with  a  horse-load  of  long 
poles  and  stakes  to  hang  fresh  meat  upon.  The 
wood    resembles    wild    cherry.      He    must    have 


lo6  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

brought  them  from  a  great  distance,  as  he  was 
gone  nearly  all  day.  Two  of  his  largest  stakes 
he  gave  to  us  for  our  use. 

Dec.  13.  On  the  nth  and  12th  nothing  occurred 
worthy  of  record.  To-day  our  friend  signified 
that  we  must  soon  break  up  camp  and  go  east- 
ward. Asking  him  why,  he  only  replied  that  this 
place  is  "  malo." 

We  could  not  understand  this  complaint,  as 
our  wants  have  never  been  so  well  provided  for 
as  since  we  came  to  this  station.  The  reason  of 
this  evidently  is  that  we  are  few  in  numbers  and 
very  quiet ;  therefore  the  game  is  not  frightened 
away  by  the  noise  of  dogs,  the  yells  of  savages, 
and  the  rush  of  the  chase.  And  again  it  is  the 
season  of  calving,  when  it  is  easy  for  one  or  two 
Indians,  with  twenty  to  thirty  dogs,  to  run  down 
the  young  and  weak  animals.  But  to  make  swoop 
upon  a  herd  of  keen-eyed  and  watchful  full- 
grown  guanacos  is  quite  another  thing,  and  to 
secure  large  numbers  of  them  often  requires  com- 
bination and  strategy  such  as  the  Patagonian 
hunter  only  understands.  Sometimes  they  go 
out  fifty  or  a  hundred  strong,  on  a  grand  hunt, 
with  from  one  to  three  hundred  dogs,  the  dogs 
and  horses  being  thoroughly  trained  to  the  ser- 


A    SQUALL.  107 

vice.  In  such  cases  one  or  two  scouts  are  sent 
quietly  out  to  examine  the  meadows  and  valleys 
where  the  animals  feed.  When  a  herd  is  descried 
the  utmost  caution  is  observed,  so  as  not  to  dis- 
cover an  Indian  to  the  herd.  The  hunters  then 
deploy  to  the  right  and  left,  keeping  under  cover 
of  hills,  or  in  ravines,  if  possible,  until  they  have 
formed  a  circle  around  the  herd,  the  dogs  keeping 
close  to  their  masters.  They  then  quietly  con- 
tract the  circle  until  the  guanacos  take  the  alarm, 
when  the  whole  herd,  following  one  leader,  rushes 
for  some  point  in  the  circle  to  break  it  and  escape. 
At  this  moment  dogs  and  horses  all  start  for  that 
point,  and  those  which  reach  it  before  the  guan- 
acos seize  the  game.  A  score  or  two  of  bolases 
are  whirled  in  the  air  and  sent  whizzing  among 
the  animals,  winding  around  their  necks  and  en- 
tangling their  legs,  while  the  dogs  fall  upon  the 
prey,  and  the  Indians,  leaping  from  their  horses 
and  cutting  the  throats  of  the  game  with  their 
sheath-knives,  drink  the  hot  blood  with  their 
dogs. 

They  then  sever  the  trunk  of  the  animal  mid- 
way between  the  fore  and  hind  legs,  and  lash- 
ing one  half  on  one  side  and  the  other  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  saddle,  they  mount  again 


Io8  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

and  fly  over  the  plains  shouting  Hke  triumphant 
conquerors  returning  from  a  gory  field. 

Dec.  14.  We  have  been  one  month  in  Patago- 
nia to-day.  This  morning  Louis  came  and  said 
to  us,  "  Much  Indus  in  Gregory's  Bay,"  and  then 
signified  that  to-morrow  there  would  be  a  pigo 
grande  (a  great  smoke),  and  that  we  all  should 
move  down  to  the  Strait.  He  intimated  that 
Lorice  and  his  party  had  gone  thither  by  a  cir- 
cuitous route  which  he  described  on  the  ground ; 
and  that  Queen  Maria  had  come  with  her 
train.  He  also  gave  us  to  understand  that  to- 
morrow she  would  send  for  us  to  go  down  to  her 
camp. 

Anxious  to  know  whether  we  understood  our 
chief,  it  was  proposed  that  one  of  us  go  down 
with  him  to  the  Strait  and  see  what  was  the  state 
of  the  case.  To  this  he  assented,  and  in  a  few 
minutes  two  horses  were  ready  and  I  set  off  at 
rapid  speed  with  the  young  man,  while  Mr.  Arms 
remained  "by  the  stuff." 

Our  track  to  the  sea  was  a  new  one  to  me  ; 
it  led  over  lofty  hills,  across  broad  plains,  and 
through  deep  winding  ravines. 

On  our  way  we  saw  hundreds  of  guanacos  feed- 
ing in   the  meadows,  several  droves  of  which  we 


A    SQUALL.  109 

puisued  for  a  considerable  distance  ;  but  though 
our  horses  skimmed  the  ground  Hke  arrows,  yet 
horses  and  dogs  were  distanced  by  the  elastic 
bounds  of  these  swift  creatures,  which  were  soon 
out  of  sight. 

These  horses  are  so  thoroughly  trained  for  the 
chase  that  as  soon  as  the  scent  of  the  game  is 
snuffed,  or  the  neighing  heard,  they  are  restless 
as  the  war-horse  at  the  booming  of  cannon  or  the 
smell  of  gunpowder,  and  the  instant  the  signal  is 
given  they  dart  for  the  prey,  bounding  over  mead- 
ows and  plains,  over  morasses,  bogs,  and  ravines, 
rising  and  descending  very  steep  hills  with  little 
abatement  of  speed,  and  suffering  nothing  to  ob- 
struct their  progress  till  they  are  checked  by  their 
riders  or  fall  breathless  with  fatigue.  In  going  di- 
rectly over  a  steep  hill  of  about  700  feet  elevation, 
and  on  an  angle  of  35°  to  40°,  our  horses  climbed 
with  amazing  energy,  and  on  descending  on  the 
opposite  side  they  threw  themselves  on  their 
haunches,  leaping  rapidly  with  their  fore-feet,  and 
suffering  their  hinder  parts  to  slide  after  them. 
This  was  a  new  way  of  "  coasting,"  but  it  worked 
well  with  the  rider  as  he  sat  firmly  in  his  saddle. 
While  I  enjoyed  the  motion,  I  admired  the  skill 
of  the  animals. 


no  AD  VENTURES  IN  PA  TA  GONIA. 

Divest  European  cavalry  of  fire-arms,  and  allow 
them  only  the  sabre  and  lance,  and  they  would 
stand  a  poor  chance  before  the  Patagonian  cohorts 
armed  with  the  bolas  and  knife. 

We  caught  no  guanacos,  and  having  taken  no 
viaticum  we  began  to  feel  hungry.  Fortunately, 
however,  the  keen  hunter's  eye  of  Louis  descried 
a  little  cocJiiii,  or  skunk,  in  a  bunch  of  grass.  Dis- 
mounting quietly,  he  thrust  his  hand  into  the 
grass  and  hauled  out  pussy  so  adroitly  as  to 
kill  it  without  the  least  accident  to  himself. 
He  then  hung  it  upon  his  saddle,  mounted  his 
steed,  and  on  we  rushed.  Coming  in  full  view  of 
Gregory's  Bay,  and  gaining  an  extended  sight  of 
the  Strait  and  shores,  we  saw  no  smoke,  no  wig- 
wams, and  no  Indians. 

It  was  now  late  in  the  afternoon ;  we  had  riden 
some  thirty  miles ;  the  wind  had  become  strong 
and  cold.  We  turned  our  horses'  heads  north- 
ward and  rode  against  a  wind  which  soon  became 
so  violent  that  it  was  difficult  to  keep  in  our 
saddles,  and  our  horses  put  down  their  heads, 
snorted,  and  almost  refused  to  move.  Louis  dis- 
mounted, ordered  me  to  dismount,  and  said  that 
we  must  spend  the  night  where  we  were.  We 
unsaddled  our  horses,  and  Louis,  tying  their  fore- 


A    SQUALL.  Ill 

feet  together  so  that  they  could  make  progress 
only  by  leaping,  let  them  go  for  the  night.  His 
next  movement  was  to  cook  his  game  for  supper. 
At  a  short  distance  he  found  a  small  clump  of 
bushes,  where  he  kindled  a  fire,  in  the  flame  of 
which  he  singed  off  the  hair  of  the  skunk.  Then, 
having  heated  some  small  stones  which  he  car- 
ried with  him,  he  put  them  into  the  bowels  of  the 
cochin,  and  laying  it  among  the  embers  and  smoke 
of  his  improvized  oven,  it  was  soon  roasted  to  his 
satisfaction.  Tearing  off  one  quarter  he  gave  it  to 
me,  and  appropriating  the  other  three  quarters, 
with  the  appurtenances,  he  devoured  it  all  in  less 
time  than  has  been  occupied  in  this  description. 
Nothing  was  left  of  his  portion,  for  even  the  bones 
were  cracked  and  the  marrow  sucked  out. 

Night  coming  on,  we  now  prepared  to  sleep. 
Placing  our  saddles  at  our  heads  and  near  the 
bushes,  as  a  small  barrier  against  the  wind,  and 
taking  our  saddle-cloths  for  blankets,  we  lay  down 
while  the  blasts  raved  and  roared  around  us.  In 
the  night  we  were  aroused  by  one  of  the  horses, 
who  in  his  struggle  to  free  himself  of  his  unwel- 
come fetters  came  leaping  and  stumbling  within  a 
few  feet  of  us,  greatly  endangering  our  safety. 
Louis  arose,  unshackled  both  the  horses,  and  tied 


112  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

them  to  tufts  of  grass ;  and  we  were  undisturbed 
till  morning. 

Sunday,  Dec.  15.  We  arose  early  to  return  to 
our  camp,  but  our  horses  were  not  to  be  found. 
They  had  broken  from  their  tetherings  and  made 
their  escape.  We  were  a  little  perplexed,  but  the 
morning  was  calm  and  bright.  Directing  me  to 
remain  and  keep  still  in  my  place,  Louis  set  off  in 
search  of  the  stray  beasts.  Thus  I  was  left  alone 
in  this  vast  wilderness  without  power  to  find  my 
way  back  to  the  camp,  as  I  had  left  my  pocket- 
compass  behind  and  had  taken  no  bearings,  trust- 
ing alone  to  my  guide  and  expecting  to  return 
with  him  on  Saturday  to  the  lodge.  But  if  I  had 
not  taken  my  compass,  I  had  not  forgotten  my 
little  pocket  Testament,  my  constant  companion 
in  sleeping  and  waking.  Nor  could  I  forget 
the  assuring  promise  in  Heb.  xiii.  5:  "For  he 
hath  said,  I  will  never  leave  thee  nor  forsake 
thee."  So  I  sat  on  the  ground  and  mused  ;  I 
arose  and  walked  to  and  fro;  I  looked  north, 
south,  east,  and  west,  but  no  sound  was  heard 
and  no  moving  thing  was  seen.  "  Both  the 
beast  and  the  bird  were  fled,  they  were  gone." 
I  took  out  my  watch  and  looked  ;  one  half-hour 
gone  and  no  Louis.     Again  I  looked  ;   one  hour 


A    SQUALL.  113 

gone  and  he  had  not  returned.  The  third  half- 
hour  went,  and  I  stood  alone  in  a  vast  and  un- 
known solitude — in  a  realm  of  utter  silence,  and 
silence  that,  like  the  darkness  of  Egypt,  "  could 
be  felt."  Never  before  had  I  so  impressively 
realized  the  value  of  a  man,  savage  though  that 
man  be.  How  truthfully  came  the  words  of 
Isaiah  to  mind,  "  I  will  make  a  man  more  precious 
than  fine  gold"  ! 

Looking  and  waiting,  I  wandered  to  a  small 
bunch  of  bushes,  and  here  I  found  a  hawk's  nest, 
with  one  young  half-Hedged  hawk.  Hunger  was 
on  me,  and  now,  thought  I,  we  shall  have  a  break- 
fast when  our  chief  returns  with  the  horses.  I 
worked  my  way  into  the  brambles  and  caught 
the  bird.  He  fought  bravely  for  "  life  and  liber- 
ty" and  with  beak  and  talons  drew  blood,  but 
hunger  conquered  and  I  secured  him.  Shortly 
after  this  capture,  back  came  my  hero  with  both 
of  the  truants.  At  this  my  heart  leaped  for  joy, 
the  waiting  had  seemed  so  long  and  painful ;  but 
when  he  saw  the  bird  in  my  keeping  his  face 
grew  dark  as  a  thunder-cloud,  and  he  seemed  to 
be  in  rage  and  consternation.  He  began  to  ges- 
ticulate earnestly  and  to  cry  out,  "  Malo !  malo !" 
shaking  his  head  significantly,  till  I  was  alarmed, 


114 


ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 


and  ran  back  to  the  bush  with  my  prey  and 
restored  the  bird  to  its  nest.  Thus  all  my  fond 
hopes  of  a  breakfast  were  dashed.  I  suppose 
that  this  hawk  is  sacred  to  the  Patagonians,  and 
that  their  superstitious  fears  forbid  to  do  it  harm. 
Our  horses  were  saddled  and  mounted  in  haste, 
and  after  a  John  Gilpin  ride  of  five  hours  we 
reached  our  camp  about  noon,  weary  and  hun- 
gry, as  I  had  gone  thirty-six  hours  with  no  other 
food  than  a  small  piece  of  cochin. 

My  "  companion  in  arms"  had  been  anxious  for 
us,  and  he  had  thoughtfully  boiled  a  piece  of 
guanaco  for  me.  In  a  little  tent  as  we  are,  and  in 
a  wild  and  savage  land,  the  sight  of  our  tabernacle 
was  truly  cheering,  because  it  has  the  name,  and 
has  by  use  something  of  the  air,  of  home.  We 
trust  we  are  truly  thankful  for  our  shelter,  and 
that  our  circumstances  are  so  much  better  than 
they  might  be.  On  our  way  back  this  morning 
young  Louis  pointed  out  a  place  to  which  he  said 
we  would  soon  remove. 

Dec.  i6.  Found  the  Indians  preparing  for  a 
removal  this  morning;  but  as  it  was  rainy  and 
cold  we  advised  them  to  wait  until  to-morrow,  to 
which  they  cheerfully  assented.  So  we  spend  the 
day  in  preparing  our  baggage  for  decamping. 


I 


A    SQUALL.  115 

Dec.  17.  Agreeably  to  the  arrangements  of 
yesterday  we  struck  our  tent  early  this  morning, 
put  our  effects  on  horses  provided  for  us,  and  set 
out  with  our  Indian  family  for  the  new  place  of 
encampment.  Our  course  was  eastward,  and  our 
removal  occupied  most  of  the  day.  The  new  lo- 
cation is  near  a  small  stream  of  water,  but  it  is  in 
an  open  plain  of  wide  extent,  surrounded  in  the  dis- 
tance by  hills  which  bound  our  horizon.  Here 
we  have  nothing  but  a  few  bushes,  near  which 
we  have  pitched  our  tent,  to  break  the  force 
of  the  winds  as  they  come  sweeping  over  the 
pampas. 

Before  we  had  time  to  erect  our  tent  a  cold 
rain  came  on  that  wet  both  our  luggage  and  our- 
selves and  rendered  us  very  uncomfortable.  The 
chief's  family,  with  their  usual  kindness,  rendered 
us  every  assistance  in  their  power,  though  this 
help  came  mostly  from  the  women. 

DiX.  18.  A  cold  and  blustering  day.  The 
wind  rushes,  screeches,  and  howls.  Our  tent 
quivers  and  shakes  and  threatens  to  fall.  It 
already  begins  to  give  way  before  the  blasts,  and 
we  have  been  obliged  to  take  it  down  to  mend 
the  threatening  rents.  It  is  quite  too  frail  to  last 
long  in  this  climate,  and  unless  we  can  keep 
screened   from  the  winds  among  the  hills  or  in 


1 1 6  AD  VENTURES  IN  PA  TA  GONIA. 

quiet  valleys,  our  tabernacle  will  soon  take  wings 
and  leave  us.  It  could  not  possibly  stand  during 
a  winter.  Should  it  fail  us  we  must  take  lodgings 
in  the  skin  hovels  of  the  Indians.  This  will  be 
uncomfortable  indeed,  as  their  tents  are  made 
loathsome  by  grease,  old  skins,  filth,  vermin,  the 
smoke  of  their  cooking,  and  the  almost  unendur- 
able smoke  of  their  pipes.  Add  to  this  their  nu- 
merous lousy,  gaunt,  and  quarrelling  dogs,  twenty 
or  thirty  of  them  to  each  hut,  and  one  can  im- 
agine the  situation  without  a  desire  to  test  it  by 
sight,  or  sound,  or  smell,  or  touch. 

It  is  diflficult  to  conceive  of  a  lower  state  of 
existence  than  we  find  in  Patagonia. 

Dec.  19.  This  morning  Mr.  Arms  went  out 
with  Louis  and  his  young  brother  to  seek  a  fresh 
supply  of  meat,  while  our  kind  Indian  mother 
with  her  little  daughter  returned  to  the  place  of 
our  last  sojourn  to  bring  some  stakes  and  poles 
which  we  had  left  behind  because  our  horses  were 
overloaded  on  the  17th,  but  which  Vv'e  needed. 

Thus  I  am  left  with  no  one  in  the  lodge  but 
the  old  chief,  who  is  still  much  indisposed  and 
almost  blind  with  inflamed  eyes.  The  quiet  is 
impressive,  and  the  relief  for  a  few  hours  from  the 
discordant  sounds  of  an  Indian  camp  is  very 
grateful. 


A    SQUALL.  117 

While  thus  congratulating  myself  on  the  unin- 
terrupted solitude  in  prospect,  all  at  once  two 
Indians  on  foot  arrived  with  tidings  that  our  old 
acquaintance  Captain  Loricc  with  his  unctuous 
wife  Jezebel  and  the  large  party  that  separated 
from  us  two  weeks  ago  were  on  their  way  back 
and  would  soon  be  here.  Soon  after  several  other 
Indians  came  up,  and  presently  the  whole  troop 
of  horses  appeared.  The  riders  dismounted,  and 
the  squaws  at  once  set  about  pitching  their  tents 
in  a  line,  with  ours  on  the  right,  while  the  men 
and  children  gathered  around  me,  the  women  join- 
ing them  as  soon  as  the  tents  were  erected.  All 
appeared  good-natured  and  joyful  at  meeting,  as 
if  old  feuds  and  jealousies  were  forgotten.  From 
this  time  till  night  our  tent  was  thronged  with 
these  children  of  nature,  filling  every  nook  within 
and  crowding  around  the  door  in  almost  stifling 
numbers,  all  apparently  curious  to  know  if  any 
change  had  come  over  the  "  Americana"  strangers 
during  their  absence. 

One  of  the  Indians  brought  me  a  fine  saddle  of 
young  guanaco,  another  filled  my  hands  with 
jerked  meat  pulverized,  and  Captain  Lorice  pre- 
sented me  with  a  whole  calf  and  made  a  long  and 
friendly  visit.     As  soon   as  his  wife  had  erected 


Il8  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

and  arranged  her  tent  she  also  came  with  seeming 
great  good-n?.tu 'c,  smihng  as  if  she  had  been 
transformed  into  "an  angel  of  light,"  and  bring- 
ing with  her  the  old  brood  of  children.  It  was 
not  long,  however,  before  this  April  sunbeam  was 
obscured  by  peevish  and  fitful  clouds.  "  The  rul- 
ing passion,"  cupidity,  still  strong,  began  to  show 
itself.  With  her  usual  disgusting  impudence  she 
set  to  handling  our  effects,  asking  me  to  open 
bags  and  cases  and  show  her  all  our  goods,  at  the 
same  time  reminding  me  of  the  present  her  hus- 
band had  just  given  me,  in  order  to  impress  me 
with  a  due  sense  of  obligation.  But  she  found 
me  imperturbable  and  unpersuasible,  and  after 
vainly  trying  every  art  in  her  power,  in  tones  and 
looks  and  earnest  gesticulations,  pointing  to  her 
rags,  hauling  up  her  children  to  show  their  nudity, 
and  even  opening  their  mouths  to  signify  their 
desire  to  cat  our  food,  she  became  sullen  and 
silent. 

At  evening  our  little  party  returned  with  thirty 
young  calves,  having  had  unparalleled  success. 
Of  these  twelve  were  given  to  us.  This  appears 
to  be  the  season  of  plenty  with  the  Indians. 

Dec.  20.  Visited  to-day  by  large  numbers  of 
the  natives.     They  appear  so  fond  of  our  society 


A    SQUALL.  119 

and  so  curious  to  see  us  at  our  work  that  they 
almost  crowd  us  out  of  our  tent.  While  dressing 
our  game  they  flocked  around  and  begged  the 
liver,  lungs,  kidneys,  heart,  etc.  These  they  de- 
voured raw  with  the  greediness  of  carnivorous 
animals.  This  is  not  occasioned  by  hunger,  as 
they  are  now  well  fed ;  but  it  is  a  habit  of  theirs, 
and  they  esteem  these  parts  (especially  when  they 
come  warm  from  the  animal)  as  a  great  luxury. 
I  have  seen  the  children  eating  the  most  offensive 
parts  of  the  intestines  uncooked  and  unwashed  ; 
and  the  blood  is  a  sweet  beverage  to  all. 

The  Indians  find  wild  dandelions  in  this  region, 
and  they  gather  and  eat  them  in  large  quantities, 
roots,  stems,  and  all,  without  washing  or  boiling. 
Thus  it  seems  we  are  not  alone  in  our  keen  desire 
for  vegetables  and  herbs. 

Toward  evening  Captain  Lorice  made  us  a  long 
visit,  and  again  urgently  requested  us  to  leave 
the  family  by  whose  kind  care  we  have  been  so 
long  fed  and  go  with  him  and  his  tribe  to  the 
north.  He  offers  to  give  us  each  a  fine  horse,  to 
feed  us  well,  and  to  protect  and  guide  us  wherever 
he  travels.  He  continues  to  show  his  envy  of 
Louis,  and  calls  him  and  his  family  by  ill  names, 
while  he  boasts  of  his  own  greatness  and  goodness. 


I20  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGGNIA. 

If  one  would  believe  it,  he  is  a  model  of  all  right- 
eousness, truth,  and  generosity.  His  invitation 
Avas  pressed  with  much  earnestness  by  some  of  his 
favorites,  who  labored  to  impress  us  with  a  sense 
of  his  excellences,  assuring  us  wc  should  lack 
nothing  if  we  would  put  ourselves  under  his  care. 

But  we  are  still  deaf  to  the  entreaties  and  in- 
credulous to  the  fair  promises  of  this  chief  and 
his  clan,  and  we  feel  more  and  more  confirmed  in 
the  belief  that  it  would  be  indiscreet,  not  to  say 
wrong,  to  abandon  our  tried  friends  and  put  our- 
selves into  the  hands  of  savages  whose  sole  object 
too  evidently  is  to  obtain  the  few  articles  in  our 
possession.  We  therefore  gave  Lorice  to  under- 
stand that  we  would  remain  where  we  were  until 
the  arrival  of  Queen  Maria,  she  being  daily  ex- 
pected from  the  north.  He  was  disappointed 
and  downcast  at  our  answer,  but  at  length  left  us 
with  apparent  good  feeling. 

Dec.  21.  Lorice  did  not  remove  to-day  accord- 
ing to  his  statement  yesterday,  but  instead  went 
out  with  a  party  on  a  hunt. 

During  the  day  we  saw  a  great  smoke  at  a  dis- 
tance northward,  and  our  young  chief  says  it  is 
Queen  Maria  with  her  tribe,  that  she  is  coming 
down  to  the  Strait,  and  that  he  will  go  to  meet 


A    SQUALL.  121 

her  to-morrow.  Of  course  we  rejoice  in  the  tid- 
ings, and  hope  all  will  prove  true,  as  this  is  what 
we  have  long  waited  for. 

A  young  Indian  brought  us  a  pocket-knife  to 
sharpen.  We  immediately  recognized  the  knife 
as  one  which  had  been  stolen  from  us,  each  of  us 
having  lost  a  knife  of  this  description.  We  signi- 
fied to  the  one  who  brought  it  that  the  knife  was 
ours  ;  but  as  we  could  not  prove  that  he  was  the 
thief,  nor  find  out  the  culprit,  we  permitted  him 
to  keep  it. 

Near  sunset  we  witnessed  a  scene  altogether 
novel  to  us.  Nearly  all  the  women  in  the  camp 
assembled  on  a  lawn  and  engaged  in  a  game  at 
ball-playing.  They  were  noisy,  lively,  and  ener- 
getic. At  the  close  of  the  game  an  altercation 
took  place  between  our  Jezebel  and  another 
woman.  A  squabble  ensued,  when  all  the  other 
women  and  many  of  the  children  arranged  them- 
selves in  a  large  circle  around  the  combatants. 
The  scene  ended  without  blood,  but  not  without 
a  torrent  of  angry  and  bitter  words  which  con- 
tinued until  late  in  the  evening.  What  was  the 
cause  of  the  contention  we  could  not  learn ; 
whether  it  was  a  dispute  about  the  game  or  a 
revival  of  the  old  party  feud  was  not  certain  ;  but 


122  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

one  thing  was  clear,  that  Jezebel  was  the  exciting 
cause. 

We  retired  late  to  rest,  but  the  noise  in  the 
camp  and  the  incessant  barking  of  a  hundred  dogs 
prevented  sleep  till  near  morning. 

Sunday,  Dec.  22.  Louis  started  early  this  morn- 
ing to  meet  the  tribe  of  Indians  whose  smoke  we 
saw  yesterday. 

During  his  absence  Captain  Lorice  and  several  of 
his  party  paid  us  frequent  visits  and  urged  us  with 
renewed  importunity  to  strike  our  tent  and  go 
with  them  to-day,  as  they  were  about  to  leave. 
He  seemed  unusually  earnest  and  anxious,  and  we 
apprehend  that  his  haste  to  leave  to-day  is  oc- 
casioned by  the  near  approach  of  a  large  party 
friendly  to  Louis.  We  again  and  again  rejected 
his  proposals,  urging  the  same  reasons  we  had 
given  on  former  occasions.  His  clan  packed  their 
horses,  mounted,  and  moved  ofT,  while  he  and  a 
few  others  lingered  behind  as  if  unwilling  to  leave 
us.  Several  times  he  seemed  on  the  point  of  de- 
parting, when  he  would  again  return  and  sit  in 
our  tent,  urging  us  to  go  by  all  the  motives  he 
could  present,  by  flattery,  and  by  the  offer  of 
rewards.  These  not  moving  us,  he  would  sit  silent 
for  a  long  time  wrapt  in  a  thoughtful  mood. 


A    SQUALL.  123 

We  made  him  presents  of  several  articles,  as  we 
had  done  before,  with  which  he  seemed  pleased. 

Near  sunset  we  saw  our  friend  Louis  returning 
accompanied  by  three  lads  of,  as  we  judge,  the 
ages  of  ten,  twelve,  and  fourteen  years. 

On  his  arrival  Lorice  mounted  his  horse  and  dis- 
appeared. Louis  reported  that  he  had  met  a 
large  body  of  good  Indians,  and  that  they  would 
all  be  here  to-morrow,  but  that  the  queen  was 
not  with  them.  He  appeared  much  pleased  that 
the  Lorice  party  had  gone. 

On  his  way  home  he  had  slain  a  large  puma. 
He  had  no  weapons  but  his  bolas  and  knife,  but 
with  the  help  of  a  fierce  pack  of  dogs  and  his  own 
skill  and  prowess  he  succeeded  in  slaying  this 
powerful  animal.  He  gave  us  liberally  of  the 
booty,  and  we  found  the  flesh  not  very  tough  and 
quite  palatable. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THE   GREAT   CHIEF   CONGO   AND    HIS   CLAN. 

Dec.  23.  Our  Indian  friends  arose  early  this 
morning  to  make  ready  for  receiving  the  coming 
troop  from  the  north,  and  the  young  chief  went 
out  to  meet  and  to  escort  them  into  camp.  About 
noon  they  began  to  arrive,  and  for  hours  they 
kept  pouring  in  and  pitching  their  tents  around 
us. 

As  usual  all  the  labor  was  performed  by  the 
squaws,  while  the  men  and  children  assembled  in 
multitudes  before  our  tent,  gazing  upon  us  with 
eager  curiosity  and  smiling  good-nature.  The 
clan  consists  of  several  hundreds,  and  when 
mounted  it  looks  like  a  straggling  regiment.  It 
is  headed  by  a  young  man  whom  they  call  Congo, 
and  to  whom  they  give  the  title  of  "  dc  capita  le 
grande." 

Soon  after  his  arrival  this  grand  captain  came 
and  introduced  himself  to  us  as  the  great  chief  of 
the  tribe,  and  spent  several  hours  with  us.     He  is 


CHIEF  CONGO  AXD  HIS   CLAX. 


125 


a  splendid  specimen  of  physical  organization, 
about  six  feet  three  inches  high,  well  formed  and 
graceful  in  figure  and  movements.  He  has  a 
mild,  open  countenance  with  an  intellectual 
stamp,  and  full  of  kindness  and  good-nature.  His 
manners  arc  easy  and  natural,  and  one  might  at 
first  si^rht  take  him  for  a  half-civilized  native. 

He  rides  a  splendid  horse,  and  dressed  in  his 
skin  leggins  and  rich  fur  mantle  he  makes  a  fine 
appearance  for  a  Patagonian.  He  speaks  many 
Spanish  and  some  English  words,  and  thinks  him- 
self quite  a  learned  man,  especially  as  he  can  count 
ten  in  English. 

He  told  us  that  a  large  part  of  this  tribe  were 
with  Santa  Maria,  and  that  they  would  be  here 
in  one  moon. 

He  inquired  of  us  about  our  country.  Was  it 
great  ?  were  there  plenty  of  guanacos  ?  How  we 
came  to  Patagonia  ;  how  many  moons  we  were  on 
the  water?  How  long  we  had  been  here;  how 
long  we  would  remain  ?  What  goods  we  had 
brought  ?  Wliether  we  were  not  great  captains 
and  owners  of  many  vessels  ?  And  many  such  like 
questions.  To  all  these  inquiries  we  gave  him 
truthful  answers  that  seemed  to  satisfy  and  please 
him.     He  w^s  also  curious  to  know  the  English 


126  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

name  of  almost  everything  around.  After  a 
social  interview  he  invited  us  to  visit  him  at  "  de 
casa  le  grande"  —  the  great  house  —  and  pre- 
senting his  hand  in  all  the  apparent  cordiality 
of  civilized  etiquette,  he  left  us  and  returned  to 
his  own  tent. 

Besides  the  grand  captain  there  are  several  in- 
ferior ofilicers,  whom  they  call  "  poco  capetans," 
or  little  captains,  but  how  either  of  these  offices 
is  filled  or  what  are  the  distinctive  powers  of 
each  we  have  not  yet  learned.  To  all  appearance, 
the  man  who  shows  the  most  prowess  in  fighting, 
the  greatest  dexterity  in  hunting,  and  the  largest 
amount  of  loquacity  and  self-assurance  becomes, 
like  Nimrod  of  old,  a  natural  leader  of  his  tribe, 
and  the  people  look  up  to  and  follow  him. 

At  the  same  time  there  is  little  appearance  of 
rule  or  government  among  them.  Most  of  these 
savages  assume  an  air  of  boldness  and  indepen- 
dence, as  if  every  man  was  born  a  king  and  had 
never  been  conquered  or  made  to  serve,  and  thus 
they  sweep  the  plains  like  the  Bedouins,  and  roam 
from  the  Straits  of  Magellan  to  the  Rio  Negro 
on  the  north  and  from  the  shores  of  the  Atlantic 
to  the  western  Andes.  To  one  of  these  subor- 
dinates,   Santa    Rio,    we   were    introduced.     He 


CHIEF  CONGO  AND  HIS  CLAN. 


127 


speaks  the  Spanish  language,  and  shows  by  his 
name  that  he  has  been  with  priests  of  the  Catho- 
hc  Church.  Four  years  ago  he  was  sent  from  the 
Falkland  Islands,  where  he  was  then  residing,  by 
the  governor  of  those  islands  to  trade  for  horses. 
Since  then  he  has  remained  with  the  Patagonians, 
taken  a  wife  from  among  them,  and  seems  to 
have  cast  in  his  lot  with  the  tribe.  He  is  quite 
inferior  in  his  person,  but  has  more  intelligence 
and  a  greater  degree  of  civilization  than  most  of 
the  Indians.  He  is  dressed  in  pantaloons  and 
shirt  of  English  fabric,  over  which  he  wears  the 
skin  mantle. 

Of  him  we  made  many  inquiries  about  the 
country  and  people.  He  informed  us  that  Queen 
Maria  was  at  Port  St.  Julian,  north  of  Santa 
Cruz,  on  the  Atlantic  coast,  about  twelve  days* 
journey  from  the  Strait,  and  that  there  were 
about  one  thousand  Indians  with  her.  He  also 
told  us  that  the  Lorice  clan  belonged  to  another 
tribe,  and  was  composed  largely  of  Tierra  del 
Fuegians ;  that  they  spoke  a  different  dialect  (a 
fact  we  had  surmised),  and  that  they  usually 
avoided  the  northern  tribes  of  horsemen,  for  fear 
of  becoming  enslaved.  Captain  Louis  told  us 
that  when   they  heard    of   the    approach  of   the 


128  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

great  Congo  they  were  afraid,  and  left  our  camp 
before  his  arrival. 

Thus  we  now  see  "  the  good  hand  of  our  God 
upon  us"  in  first  putting  us  under  the  care  of  our 
friend  Louis,  and  then  in  preventing  us  from 
yielding  to  the  flattery  and  the  earnest  and  re- 
peated solicitations  of  Lorice  and  his  party  to  go 
with  them.  Although  this  persistency  on  our 
part  left  us  for  a  season  with  only  one  family  of 
five  persons,  yet  in  the  end  it  has  connected  us 
with  this  large  and  ruling  tribe,  which  it  is  proba- 
ble we  should  never  have  seen  had  we  gone  as  we 
were  urged  to  do. 

This  sojourn  of  Louis  and  his  family  with  the 
more  degraded  clan  of  Lorice  was,  we  are  in- 
formed, occasioned  by  his  taking  a  woman  of  that 
clan  for  a  wife,  who  after  the  great  quarrel  left 
him  and  went  off  again  with  her  own  people. 

Toward  evening  the  two  daughters  of  our  aged 
chiefs  came  smiling  to  our  tent  to  greet  us.  We 
had  supposed  that  they  had  become  attached  to 
young  Indians  of  the  Lorice  party  and  had  left 
their  parents  and  brothers  forever.  We  under- 
stand they  had  been  sent  for  during  the  day  and 
brought  back  from  their  wanderings.  During  the 
afternoon    several  of    the  "  little  captains"  came 


CHIEF  CONGO  AiVD  HIS  CLAN. 


129 


to  introduce  themselves  or  be  introduced,  and  to 
have  a  friendly  chat  with  us. 

At  twilight,  after  the  Indians  had  retired  to 
their  tents,  Louis  came  to  advise  us  to  gather 
much  brush  into  our  tent  on  the  morrow,  because, 
said  he,  "  Much  Ingus ;"  and  as  there  is  but  very- 
little  brush,  he  feared  we  would  be  robbed  of  our 
supply.  Thus  his  thoughtful  and  provident  care 
is  constantly  exercised  on  our  behalf. 

All  things  now  look  bright  and  cheering,  and 
in  our  connection  with  this  large  company  we 
hope  to  increase  our  knowledge  of  the  country, 
and  of  the  numbers,  character,  and  habits  of  its 
inhabitants.  These  facts  once  obtained  we  shall 
be  ready  to  embrace  the  earliest  opportunity  to 
return  to  our  country  and  report,  agreeably  with 
our  instructions,  in  Boston.  But  as  no  provision 
has  been  made  for  a  vessel  to  come  for  us,  the 
time  of  our  departure  from  this  country  is  alto- 
gether uncertain  :  whether  in  a  month,  a  year,  or 
never  is  all  unknown  to  us. 

Dec.  24.  On  awaking  this  morning  my  ears 
were  saluted  by  the  crowing  of  a  cock.  The 
music  excited  such  a  thrill  of  delightful  sensation, 
and  awakened  such  pleasing  associations,  that  for 
the   moment   I   seemed  transported  back  to  the 


13° 


ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 


rural  scenes  of  my  native  land,  and  I  could  hardly 
realize  that  we  were  surrounded  by  wild  savages. 
On  going  out  among  the  tents  we  find  quite  a 
number  of  fowls,  all  living  in  the  cabins  and  thor- 
oughly domesticated. 

Many  of  this  tribe  have  a  few  manufactured 
articles  v/hich  they  obtained  from  vessels  that 
have  passed  through  the  Strait  or  anchored  in 
ports  on  the  Atlantic  coast. 

The  Indians  of  this  land  are  physically  a  noble 
race.  They  are  tall,  well  formed,  and  strong. 
They  are  not,  however,  gigantic.  None  of  them 
are  over  six  feet  six  inches,  and  few  of  them  will 
weigh  over  two  hundred  pounds;  and  there  is 
not  a  large  proportion  of  them  that  will  measure 
over  six  feet  in  height.  Owing  to  the  nature  of 
their  food,  their  great  exertions  to  procure  their 
game,  and  their  roaming  habits,  there  is  little 
tendency  to  obesity  among  them.  I  have  seen 
taller  and  much  larger  men  among  Americans 
and  Europeans  than  among  Patagonians.  We 
are  inclined  to  estimate  the  average  height  of 
what  are  called  by  sailors  the  "  Horse  Indians," 
or  the  pampas  tribes,  at  five  feet  ten  inches,  and 
their  average  weight  at  170  pounds.  We  think 
the  extravagant  estimate  so  often  made  of  the  size 


CHIEF  CONGO  AND  HIS  CLAN. 


131 


of  the  Patagonians  has  arisen  from  seeing  them 
standing,  waliving,  or  riding  on  the  shore,  wrapped 
in  their  immense  mantles  of  skin  with  the  wool 
on,  and  with  the  upper  end  of  this  mantle  rising 
above  the  head  like  a  hood. 

Some  strangers  have  estimated  the  height  of 
these  savages  at  nine  or  more  feet,  and  it  may 
not  be  improbable  that  some  of  them  have  in- 
dulged in  a  touch  of  romantic  exaggeration. 
While  some  of  the  women  are  large  and  tall,  the 
average  height  of  the  females  is  much  less  than 
that  of  the  men.  There  are  many  hoary  heads  in 
this  tribe,  some  of  whom  appear  venerable.  Dur- 
ing the  day  a  very  aged  man  came  to  our  tent- 
door,  and  observing  us  engaged  in  writing,  he  be- 
gan to  clamor  loudly  and  rapidly  as  if  it  were 
something  very  bad.  Our  good  old  Indian 
mother,  who  was  in  an  adjoining  tent,  hearing  his 
angry  tones,  came  speedily  to  our  help  and  re- 
monstrated with  the  old  savage  with  great  ear- 
nestness. In  a  few  minutes  came  Louis  and  bent 
down  by  the  side  of  the  old  man,  who  was  squat- 
ted before  our  door,  and  in  mild  and  persuasive 
tones  labored  to  pacify  him  and  to  convince  him 
that  our  writing  was  not  bad.  But  the  excited 
old   man   still    continued  to   storm    more   vehe- 


132 


ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 


mently  than  ever,  and  poor  Louis,  finding  all  his 
efforts  to  still  his  rage  fruitless,  came  within  the 
tent  and  seated  himself  close  to  us,  as  if  deter- 
mined to  stand  between  us  and  harm.  The  noise 
without  had  aroused  the  Indians  in  the  camp, 
and  numbers  came  to  see  and  hear  what  was  the 
matter.  Under  these  circumstances  we  thought 
it  prudent  to  lay  aside  our  writing,  which  having 
done,  and  having  taken  kind  notice  of  the  old 
man,  offering  him  water  to  drink  from  our  own 
cup,  he  became  quiet  and  soon  retired,  to  our  no 
little  satisfaction. 

As  we  could  not  understand  the  old  man's 
words,  we  tried  to  learn  from  Louis  the  cause  of 
his  rage.  He  gives  us  the  imoression  that  it  was 
our  writing,  but  why  we  cannot  now  compre- 
hend. Doubtless  it  arises  from  some  superstitious 
fear. 

After  the  aged  Lidian  had  left  us,  Louis  in- 
quired how  many  hatchets  we  had,  and  advised 
us  to  present  one  to  the  old  man,  telling  us  that 
he  was  one  of  the  captains  and  a  good  man. 
This  advice  seemed  wise  and  timely,  and  to  par- 
take of  the  nature  of  the  instructions  of  "  Him 
who  spake  as  never  man  spake,"  viz.,  "  Do  good 
to  them  that  hate  you."    We  therefore  told  him 


CHIEF  CONGO  AND  HIS   CLAN. 


"^Zl 


that   the   old   capitan   should   have  a  hatchet   to- 
morrow. 

Another  event  to-day  was  the  bringing  of  a 
sick  man  to  our  tent,  to  whom  Mr.  Arms  gave 
medicine,  and  promised  to  visit  him  to-morrow. 

Dec.  25.  This  morning  our  young  friend  brought 
the  old  growling  captain  of  yesterday  to  receive 
the  promised  hatchet.  He  appeared  much  pleased 
with  the  gift.  We  also  showed  him  some  of  our 
things,  and  tried  to  converse  with  him  in  a  kind 
manner,  when  he  became  quite  cheerful  and  ap 
parently  perfectly  friendly.  In  this  whole  af 
fair  we  admired  the  conduct  of  Louis.  He  ex- 
hibited so  much  mildness  and  gentleness,  mingled 
with  such  respect  for  the  aged  captain,  that,  though 
an  untaught  heathen,  we  perceived  that  he  was 
not  wholly  ignorant  of  the  practical  use  of  the 
maxim,  "  A  soft  answer  turneth  away  wrath." 
Who  taught  him  to  "  rise  up  before  the  hoary 
head  and  to  honor  the  face  of  the  old  man"  ? 

He  certainly  managed  the  case  admirably,  and 
for  aught  we  know  saved  our  lives,  as  a  riot  at 
one  time  seemed  imminent.  During  the  turmoil 
of  yesterday  the  grand  Captain  Congo  was  pres- 
ent, but  he  did  not  interfere  except  to  say  a  few 
words  now  and  then,  the  purport  of  which  we  did 


134 


ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 


not  understand.  It  is  a  happy  and  providential 
circumstance  for  us  that  our  friend  Louis  and  the 
great  captain  are  on  terms  of  intimate  friendship. 
They  speak  kindly  of  each  other  and  appear  hke 
affectionate  brothers. 

It  is  also  very  evident  that  Louis  has  created  a 
general  impression  in  our  favor  throughout  the 
camp.  This  is  seen  in  the  smiling  faces  of  the 
savages,  their  frequent  visits  to  our  tent,  their 
presents  of  venison,  and  the  pleasant  regard  they 
show  us.  But  we  are  still  a  riddle  to  them,  and 
they  often  say  that  we  are  unlike  any  other  white 
men  they  have  seen. 

Captain  Congo  has  been  with  us  much  to-day, 
and  conversed  in  his  usual  cheerful  manner.  His 
mind  is  very  active,  and  he  is  exceedingly  inquisi- 
tive. He  plies  us  with  numerous  questions,  and 
seems  anxious  to  get  information  on  many  sub- 
jects. We  long  with  yearning  desire  to  communi- 
cate to  him  those  great  truths — those  "  things  of 
God,"  of  Christ,  of  the  soul  of  man,  of  its  destiny  ; 
things  which  "  the  natural  eye  hath  not  seen,  and 
which  have  not  entered  into  the  heart  of  man," 
but  which  are  revealed  only  by  the  Gospel  through 
the  divine  Spirit.  But  we  are  shut  up  on  these 
themes  for  want  of  a  medium  of  communication. 


CHIEF  CONGO  AND  HIS  CLAN.  135 

Congo  tells  us  that  he  and  many  of  his  men 
will  set  out  to-morrow  on  a  grand  four  days'  hunt, 
and  invites  us  to  accompany  him.  This  we  de- 
cline lest  the  fierce  riding  and  the  hard  lodging 
should  be  too  severe  for  us,  and  lest  our  presence 
and  lack  of  skill  and  prowess  should  prove  a  hin- 
drance to  their  movements. 

A  certain  old  man  by  the  name  of  Captain 
Chen  visits  us  every  day  and  converses — or  tries 
to — with  much  good  cheer.  He  speaks  Spanish 
tolerably  well,  and  seems  happy  in  spending  his 
time  with  us.  He  is  usually  the  first  man  to 
visit  us  in  the  morning.  He  has  been  out  to-day 
on  a  hunt,  and  returning  this  evening  he  rode  up 
to  our  tent-door,  calling  out,  "  Ha!  Americanas!" 
On  going  out,  he  presented  us  with  two  large  hams 
of  guanaco,  and  a  liver.  Soon  after  this,  the  old 
man  who  raged  so  yesterday  rode  up  and  gave 
us  another  fine  piece  of  meat.  Captain  Louis  fol- 
lowed with  his  liberal  donation,  so  that  now  wc 
are  overstocked  with  meat. 

Several  men,  complaining  of  bodily  infirmities, 
visited  us  to-day  and  Mr.  Arms  administered  to 
them.  The  Indians  also  crowd  around  us  to  get 
their  spurs  and  knives  sharpened,  and  to  obtain 
needles  inserted  into  wooden  handles,  like  awls,  for 


136  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

sewing  their  mantles  and  other  work.  They  are 
very  happy  to  avail  themselves  of  our  skill  and 
kindness  in  teaching  and  assisting  them  in  many 
little  things,  which  please  them  and  draw  them 
around  us.  We  arc  surrounded  by  them  most 
of  the  time,  except  when  we  sleep. 

Dec.  26.  The  day  has  been  filled  up  with  our 
usual  round  of  duties :  entertaining  the  savages, 
making  little  articles  of  use  to  them,  distributing 
small  presents,  attending  to  the  sick,  etc. 

At  evening  Captain  Chen  came  and  took  a  sup- 
per of  meat  and  broth  with  us  in  the  best  Ameri- 
can style  we  could  command.  While  eating  along 
came  Captain  Ben,  the  boisterous  old  man  whom 
Louis  pacified,  and  he  also  partook  with  us. 
Both  seemed  highly  delighted  with  the  attention 
shown  them,  often  exclaiming  in  praise  of  the 
supper,  "  Much  bono,  much  bono." 

Suddenly  there  was  a  noisy  rushing  of  the  In- 
dians from  the  camp  to  the  plain  at  a  little  dis- 
tance. Immediately  our  old  Indian  mother  came 
to  tell  us  the  cause  of  the  excitement,  as  she  al- 
ways does  when  things  do  not  go  regularly.  By 
expressive  gestures  she  gave  us  to  understand 
that  two  men  were  fighting  with  clubs  ;  but  as  the 
crowd  which  surrounded  them  was  great,  we  could 


CHIEF  CONGO  AND  HIS  CLAN. 


137 


not  see  the  combatants.  No  efforts  seemed  to  be 
made  on  the  part  of  the  chiefs  to  separate  the 
fighters,  and  they  went  on  hke  two  rhad  bulls  to 
beat  and  bruise  each  other,  till,  bloody  and  w^eary, 
they  desisted. 

Just  before  sundown  a  young  man  whom  we 
did  not  know  came  to  our  tent-door,  and,  sitting 
down  in  a  crowd,  he  began  a  long  and  loud  har- 
angue, vociferating  and  gesticulating  with  great 
earnestness.  What  the  matter  was  we  could  not 
tell,  but  there  was  no  doubt  about  his  being  dis- 
pleased with  something,  and  probably  with  us. 
Perhaps  it  was  because  we  had  not  shown  him 
sufficient  attention,  as  we  were  now  told  that  he 
was  one  of  their  captains.  Several  of  our  aged 
friends  were  with  us,  and  they  occasionally  said  a 
few  mild-toned  words  to  the  young  orator,  appar- 
ently to  pacify  him,  and  would  then,  turning  to 
us,  say,"  You  no  malo,  you  bono  ;  we  bono,  Ingus 
bono."  At  length  he  retired,  and  the  day  closed 
in  peace.  Captain  Congo  came  to  see  us  and  in- 
troduced his  father,  a  tall,  venerable-looking  old 
man  with  a  very  mild  and  cheery  countenance. 

Dec.  27.  Old  Captain  Ben  made  us  an  early  visit 
this  morning,  bringing  as  a  present  a  small  bun- 
dle of  rock  salt.     Whether  this  was  a  product  of 


138  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

Patagonia  or  whether  it  was  obtained  from  some 
ship  we  do  not  know.  We  have  never  seen  the 
Indians  use  salt,  and  had  supposed  that  they  did 
not  know  the  use  of  it,  but  Captain  Congo  tells 
us  there  is  much  of  it  in  the  camp.  Old  Ben 
looked  so  smiling  when  he  presented  the  salt 
that  we  have  rarely  received  a  gift  with  more 
pleasure. 

The  grand  hunt  of  four  days  was  organized  to- 
day. Towards  noon  the  company  moved  off  un- 
der the  direction  of  the  great  captain  and  his 
subalterns,  taking  with  them  what  they  call  their 
"  poco  casas" — little  tents — made  for  temporary 
uses.  Nearly  all  the  sound  men,  together  with 
many  women  to  carry  the  tents  and  other  neces- 
sary apparatus,  have  gone  in  the  troop,  while  few 
remain  behind  except  the  old  and  infirm,  the 
women  and  children,  and  a  few  lazy  drones  ;  so 
that  we  are  in  the  stillness  of  an  almost  deserted 
camp.  We  do  not,  however,  regret  this,  as  it  af- 
fords us  a  little  relief  from  the  confinement  and 
fatigue  occasioned  by  an  incessant  crowd  of  visit- 
ors from  the  time  we  rise  in  the  morning  till  late 
in  the  evening. 

Dec.  28.  The  morning  passed  without  interrup- 
tion.    At  noon  many  of  the  lazy  and  impudent 


CHIEF  CONGO  AND  HIS  CLAN. 


139 


Indians  gathered  around  us,  among  whom  was  a 
man  whom  we  judge  to  be  a  Spaniard,  from  his 
appearance  and  from  his  knowledge  of  the  Cas- 
tilian  language.  On  the  day  of  his  arrival  he 
came  and  squatted  before  our  tent,  and  listened 
to  our  conversation  with  Captain  Santa  Rio  rel- 
ative to  the  country,  its  inhabitants,  etc.,  with 
eager  attention  and  evident  suspicion. 

He  was  quite  social  to-day  for  a  long  time,  but 
at  length  he  began  to  inquire  what  goods  we  had, 
and  commenced  begging  one  thing  after  another 
with  intolerable  earnestness  and  rapidity.  We 
thought  not  best  to  gratify  his  cupidity,  and  only 
gave  him  two  needles  fitted  into  handles  for  ]iod- 
/in£^  (sewing).  He  seemed  dissatisfied  and  began 
to  talk  rudely,  using  offensive  and  impure  lan- 
guage. This  is  common  among  these  savages, 
and  yet  our  ears  have  never  been  offended  by 
anything  of  the  kind  from  Louis  and  his  old 
father  and  mother.  We  ceased  conversation  with 
this  rude  man,  and  he  remained  mute  in  our  tent 
until  night. 

Some  young  savages  seeing  our  axe  lying  at 
the  door,  took  it  without  permission  and  went  off 
to  a  clump  of  bushes,  and  began  to  amuse  them- 
selves   by  cutting;    but    the    good    mother,  ever 


140  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

watchful  of  our  interests,  went  boldly  to  them, 
took  the  axe  out  of  their  hands,  and  restored  it 
to  us.  This  she  did  of  her  own  accord  without 
a  word  from  us. 

Sunday,  Dec.  29.  Both  my  companion  and  my- 
self being  indisposed,  we  closed  our  tent  and  re- 
ceived no  visitors  until  afternoon.  As  soon  as  we 
opened,  in  came  the  old  Spaniard  and  remained 
until  dark,  recounting  his  great  poverty,  remind- 
ing us  of  our  vast  wealth,  and  keeping  up  an  in- 
cessant begging.  He  appears  to  be  supremely 
indolent,  and  this  is  the  cause  of  his  poverty. 
While  others  are  active  in  procuring  food,  or  in 
making  or  mending  mantles,  he  lounges  in  his 
cabin  or  wanders  about  begging  of  others. 

Before  night  we  heard  a  shout, — "  Pigo!  Pigo  !" 
"  Barko  Americana," — and  on  looking  out  thought 
we  descried  smoke  in  the  direction  of  the  Strait, 
towards  which  the  Indians  pointed,  and  where 
they  were  confident  a  vessel  had  entered.  But 
as  the  leaders  and  most  of  the  strong  men  were 
absent  on  the  great  hunt,  they  seemed  disinclined 
to  go  down  to  the  sea.  They  said,  however,  that 
if  one  of  us  would  go  to-morrow,  they  would  fur- 
nish us  a  horse  and  guide. 

Not  a  whisper  has  come  to  us   from   our  own 


CHIEF  CONGO  AND  HIS  CLAN. 


141 


country  or  from  any  other  part  of  the  world  since 
we  landed,  on  the  14th  of  November.  We  have 
thus  far  been  as  completely  cut  off  from  all  com- 
munication with  friends  as  if  we  were  on  another 
planet.  Is  it  any  wonder,  then,  that  our  hearts 
leap  for  joy  at  the  prospect  of  hearing  from,  or 
of  sending  some  word  to,  the  absent  loved  ones? 
On  the  morrow,  therefore,  "  if  the  Lord  will," 
one  of  us  will  hasten  to  the  Strait. 

Dec.  30.  Last  night  a  heavy  frost  spread  around 
us,  blighting  the  flowers  and  touching  the  grasses. 
This  seemed  remarkable,  as  the  mercury  was  at 
73°  yesterday  noon  and  it  is  hot  to-day.  We 
arose  early  and  aroused  the  Indian  who  promised 
yesterday  to  be  the  guide  to  the  sea.  He  lin- 
gered about  securing  the  horses,  though  still  re- 
peating his  promises  to  go.  At  length  we  started 
him  off,  but  after  being  gene  a  long  time  he  re- 
turned without  the  horses.  By  the  actions  of  the 
savages  we  began  now  to  suspect  that  they  were 
unwilling  we  should  go,  probably  fearing  that  in 
the  absence  of  the  chiefs  we  would  go  on  board 
a  vessel  and  not  return,  though  we  assured  them 
to  the  contrary.  As  they  did  not  move  to  help 
us,  we  gave  up  our  hopes  and  went  to  our  work. 
Soon,  however,  the  man  brought  up  two  animals 


142 


ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 


and  saddled  them  ;  this  revived  our  hopes,  which 
were  only  again  to  be  dashed  to  the  ground  as 
wc  saw  the  Indian  and  his  brother  mount  the 
horses  and  gallop  off  in  another  direction.  Thus 
ended  their  promises,  and  thus  our  eager  expecta- 
tions failed. 

During  the  day  our  thermometer,  which  was 
hanging  outside  of  our  tent,  was  stolen.  The 
loss  was  reported  to  our  vigilant  and  faithful 
mother.  So,  after  we  had  retired  for  the  night, 
she  came  and  called  at  our  door  and  delivered  up 
the  missing  article,  together  with  a  lost  hammer. 
This  done,  she  went  entirely  around  our  tent 
tightening  the  cords,  and  seeing  that  nothing  had 
slipped  out  from  under  it  and  that  nothing  was 
exposed  to  be  stolen.  She  is  our  most  resolute 
and  faithful  police,  and  to  us  she  seems  a  god- 
send. 

Dec.  31.  The  last  day  of  this,  to  us,  remark- 
able year. 

The  great  Indian  hunt  is  over,  and,  according 
to  arrangement,  the  host  of  hunters,  laden  with 
spoil,  returned  to-day.  According  to  promise 
before  he  left,  Congo  brings  us  six  livers,  and 
many  others  give  us  large  pieces  of  guanaco,  but 
rather   sparingly    of   ostrich-meat,   of  which,  on 


CHIEF  CONGO  AND  HIS  CLAN. 


143 


account  of  the  fat,  they  are  very  fond.  The  re- 
turned hunters  crowded  around  us,  delighted  to 
meet  us  again,  and  the  grand  captain  inquired 
"with  interest  about  the  smoke  at  Gregory's  Bay, 
and  whether  a  "  barko  Americana"  were  there. 
He  proposed  to  go  himself  to  the  shore  to-mor- 
row, and  invited  one  of  us  to  accompany  him  ; 
but  as  we  tell  him  the  vessel  has  undoubtedly  left 
before  this  time,  he  gives  up  the  idea  of  going. 

After  a  genial  visit,  he  gave  us  the  parting 
hand  in  a  very  affectionate  manner,  and  returned 
to  "  le  casa  grande"  for  the  night. 

We  have  been  hoping  a  way  would  open  for 
us  to  proceed  westward  to  the  Andes,  and  that 
we  might,  if  possible,  reach  the  Pacific  coast,  or 
get  among  the  Araucanian  Indians  south  of  Chili, 
but  the  chiefs  shake  their  heads  ominously  at  the 
idea,  and  say  it  is  impossible. 

So  the  year  closes  upon  us,  and  we  are  here 
"  shut  up  to  faith,"  not  knowing  what  may  be 
the  developments  of  the  coming  year. 

Jan.  I,  1834.  We  salute  each  other  with  "  a 
happy  new  year,"  while  our  thoughts  turn  to  the 
dear  friends  in  the  land  of  our  fathers.  We  are 
here  among  savages,  shut  out  from  all  the  tender 
and  precious  endearments  and  priceless  privileges 


144 


ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 


of  social  and  Christian  civilization.  No  whispers 
of  sympathy  come  to  us  on  the  night  air,  no 
voice  of  love  echoes  along  these  everlasting 
mountains  from  the  northern  winter  to  the  re- 
gions of  southern  summer.  No  white-winged 
messenger-bird  comes  over  the  wide  waste  of 
waters  to  tell  us  of  our  loved  ones'  welfare.  No 
morning  greetings  and  evening  benedictions  of 
"  kith  and  kin"  come  to  our  ears.  No  voices  ar- 
rest us  but  the  harsh  sounds  of  the  savages,  the 
neighing  of  horses  and  baying  of  dogs,  the  roar 
of  winds,  and  the  rush  and  rattle  of  rain  and 
hail. 

"  The  sound  of  the  church-going  bell 
These  valleys  and  hills  never  heard," 

nor  are  the  savages  charmed  by  the  silent  voices 
of  the  stars  or  the  sweet  harmony  of  the  con- 
stellations. No  light  shines  upon  them  from 
above.  Even  the  bright  orbs  of  heaven — sun, 
moon,  and  stars — arc  to  them  unknown  and 
meaningless  factors  in  the  great  framework  of 
creation. 

The  Indians  have  spent  this  day  as  they  do 
most  of  their  days,  in  idleness  and  recreations. 
Ball-playing  is  their  favorite  amusement. 

Captain  Congo  visited  us,  and  proposed  to  re- 


CHIEF  CONGO  AND  HIS  CLAN. 


145 


move  the  whole  camp  down  to  Gregory's  Bay  to- 
morrow. 

Many  of  the  petty  chiefs  are  opposed  to  this, 
and  say  they  will  not  go.  So  there  is  loud  talk 
and  much  disputation  among  them,  and  Congo 
came  in  the  evening  to  say  the  opposition  was 
so  strong  that  the  removal  would  not  take  place. 
So  we  see  that  his  will  and  his  word  are  not 
absolute. 

yan.  2.  Very  early  this  morning  the  great  chief 
informed  us  that  the  camp  would  remove  to-day, 
but  not  to  the  sea-shore.  We  struck  our  tent  at 
once,  and  prepared  to  decamp.  The  march  be- 
gan about  lo  A.M.,  but  it  was  2  P.M.  before  the 
ground  was  cleared.  When  about  to  depart  they 
raised  a  great  smoke,  as  is  usual  with  them  on 
such  occasions. 

Our  faithful  friend  Louis  took  special  care  for 
us ;  furnished  us  with  saddle-horses  and  horses 
for  our  luggage,  which  he  carefully  packed  and 
watched  until  it  was  safely  deposited  in  our  quar- 
ters at  the  new  station.  This  removal  brought 
us  within  about  twelve  miles,  as  we  suppose,  of 
the  Strait.  This  looks  as  if  the  warm  dispute  of 
yesterday  ended  in  a  compromise  to  go  part  way  to 
the  shore  rather  than  to  remove  quite  to  the  bay. 


146  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

The  appearance  of  our  camp  when  broken  up 
and  on  the  march  is  truly  grotesque.  Some  two 
hundred  strong  men  mounted  for  the  chase, 
armed  with  spurs,  bolas,  and  knife,  and  accom- 
panied by  dogs  that  we  cannot  number,  lead  the 
van,  or  deploy  to  the  right  or  left  as  scouts,  while 
a  larger  company  of  women  and  children,  with 
tents,  poles,  furniture,  and  all  they  possess,  brings 
up  the  rear ;  often  moving  in  parallel  lines  along 
the  several  trails,  and  often  extending  for  many 
miles  over  the  plains.  Their  horses  are  some- 
times so  heavily  laden  as  to  fall  under  their 
burdens. 

Several  guanacos  were  taken  on  the  way,  and 
on  our  arrival  at  the  camp-ground  we  were  pre- 
sented with  a  fine  portion  of  meat.  One  Indian 
rode  up  to  us  on  the  road  and  gave  us  each  a 
piece  of  roasted  ostrich  which  he  had  taken  en 
route.    He  afterwards  gave  us  the  skin  of  the  bird. 

Jan.  3.  Our  present  location  is  pleasant.  On 
our  left  is  a  range  of  low  mountains,  overlooking 
a  broad  extent  of  country,  including  the  Magel- 
lan Strait  and  the  distant  and  dim  shores  of 
Tierra  del  Fucgo.  In  our  rear  is  a  hill  to  break 
the  force  of  the  wind,  with  an  open  champaign  in 
front. 


CHIEF  CONGO  AND  HIS  CLAN. 


147 


In  the  afternoon  Louis  and  I  rambled  out  and 
climbed  the  hill  behind  our  camp  to  obtain  the 
wide  view  it  affords,  and  to  gather  some  insipid 
wild  berries  which  grow  on  its  sides,  and  which 
the  Indians  call  "yanker." 

While  on  this  hill  we  saw  three  large  smoke-sig- 
nals on  the  south  side  of  the  Strait,  made  by  the 
Indians  of  Eastern  Tierra  del  Fuego.  On  de- 
scending from  the  hill  we  descried  a  smoke  in  the 
direction  of  Cape  Gregory,  and  our  people  said 
that  other  Indians  had  arrived  there. 

Just  at  dark  one  man  on  horseback  came  to  the 
camp  from  that  direction,  and  on  his  approach 
the  Indians  rushed  out  in  great  numbers  to  meet 
him. 

It  is  reported  that  Queen  Maria  is  advancing 
with  a  very  large  train,  and  our  camp  is  all  astir. 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

ARRIVAL   OF   THE   "QUEEN." 

Jan.  4.  Early  this  morning  a  large  party  of  our 
tribe  set  off  to  meet  the  coming  troop  from  the 
north. 

About  1 1  A.M.  a  division  of  the  approaching 
strangers  appeared  on  a  hill  in  sight  of  our  en- 
campment, and  made  a  signal.  Immediately  there 
was  a  great  rushing  and  shouting  on  our  right, 
and  on  inquiring  the  cause,  we  were  told  that  the 
Americans  were  coming.  A  few  minutes  of  wait- 
ing, and  we  were  saluted  in  the  English  tongue 
by  strangers  who  proved  to  be  two  young  sailors, 
named  Henry  Boruck  and  Harry  Hassel.  The 
former  says  he  is  from  the  city  of  New  York,  and 
landed  here  from  the  sealing  vessel  Tally,  Captain 
Allen,  of  New  London,  Conn.,  May  20th,  1833. 
The  latter  says  he  hails  from  Washington,  D.  C, 
and  left  the  schooner  Elizabeth  Jane,  Captain 
Albertson,  May  12th,  1833.  Wild,  thoughtless 
3'ouths,  they  became  dissatisfied  with  their  situa- 


ARRIVAL   OF  THE    ''QUEEN."  149 

tions  on  board  their  vessels,  and  resolved  to  run 
away  and  abandon  themselves  to  the  pleasures  of 
savage  life.  But  the  poor  fellows  have  "  paid 
dear  for  their  whistle,"  and  they  have  learned 
their  folly  at  a  high  price.  They  now  rue  the  day 
when  they  left  the  society  and  comforts  of  civil- 
ized life  and  planted  their  feet  on  these  savage 
shores.  They  say  they  have  suffered  bitterly,  and 
have  sometimes  desired  death  rather  than  life. 
Their  clothes  have  been  taken  from  them,  and 
Henry  wears  an  old,  greasy,  and  cast-off  skin 
mantle  ;  while  poor  Harry,  less  fortunate,  has  not 
been  able  to  obtain  even  that  apology  for  a  gar- 
ment, and  vainly  endeavors  to  cover  his  nakedness 
with  the  shadow  of  an  old  tattered  monkey- 
jacket  and  the  remnant  of  a  pair  of  duck  trou- 
sers in  which  he  left  his  vessel.  These  are  his 
only  garments  by  day  and  night,  and  he  has 
suffered  greatly  with  the  cold  during  the  long 
winter.  These  men  have  been  with  the  savages 
about  eight  months,  and  have  been  constantly 
roaming  since  the  winter  broke  up,  stopping  only 
a  few  days  in  a  place.  They  have  been,  as  they 
say,  a  great  distance  to  the  north,  sometimes 
camping  on  the  sea-shore,  sometimes  advancing 
far  into  the  interior.     They  have  been  with  the 


15° 


ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 


division  of  Santa  Maria,  who  is  now  on  her  way 
back  to  Gregory's  Bay. 

Yesterday  an  Indian  of  our  tribe  went  out  to 
meet  them,  and  these  young  men,  learning  from 
him  that  two  of  their  countrymen  were  here,  left 
their  company  by  stealth  in  the  evening,  and, 
travelling  most  of  the  night,  arrived  at  our  camp 
before  noon  to-day. 

While  all  the  Indians  are  mounted,  these  sail- 
ors are  made  to  travel  on  foot  with  the  dogs,  and 
are  often  reproached  with  the  name  servant  and 
slave.  They  are  barefooted,  and,  being  obliged 
to  keep  up  with  the  horses  on  their  journeyings 
over  rough  and  smooth  places,  their  feet  are 
swollen,  cracked,  and  sore.  They  are  covered 
with  dirt,  and  their  beards  have  not  been  shaven 
or  their  hair  cut  since  they  came  into  the  country. 
They  are  made  to  do  the  drudgery  of  the  sav- 
ages, such  as  catching  their  horses,  leading  them 
to  water,  gathering  fagots,  kindling  their  fires, 
roasting  their  meat,  bringing  their  water,  etc. 

Instead  of  becoming  chiefs  and  gratifying  their 
baser  passions  at  will,  as  they  expected,  they  are 
deprived  of  every  privilege,  despised  by  the  sav- 
ages, and  degraded  to  the  most  abject  condition. 

But  although  they  now  see  their  folly,  they  do 


ARRIVAL    OF  THE   '"QUEEN."  151 

not  reform  their  lives,  but  are  constantly  exerting 
a  baleful  influence  upon  the  Indians,  teaching 
them  the  use  of  the  vilest  words,  and  thus  de- 
moralizing, if  possible,  these  degraded  natives. 
They  are  awfully  profane,  and  they  have  taught 
the  Indians  to  take  that  sacred  name  of  which 
they  have  no  knowledge  in  vain,  and  to  trifle  with 
the  God  of  whose  attributes  they  have  never 
heard.  Almost  ever}^'  sentence  which  comes  from 
their  lips  is  uttered  with  an  oath,  and  we  are  con- 
stantly rebuking  them  for  a  habit  which  to  them 
is  like  breathing. 

With  all  the  roughness  and  profanity  of  these 
poor  sailors,  their  misery  makes  them  glad  to  see 
us,  and  they  beg  to  remain  under  our  care  and 
protection,  hoping  that  Ave  may  help  them  on 
board  of  some  vessel  and  thus  end  their  dreadful 
exile. 

They  excite  our  painful  sympathy.  We  pity 
them,  but  we  dread  their  influence  on  these  sav- 
ages ;  for  it  is  in  deadly  opposition  to  that  which 
we  are  endeavoring  to  exert. 

In  the  afternoon  another  American  youth  of 
only  sixteen  years,  named  Nicholas  Druerj^,  came 
to  our  camp  on  horseback  in  company  with  an 
Indian  with  whom  he  lives.     He  hails  from  Wes- 


152  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

terloo,  N.  Y.  This  young  man  belonged  to  the 
schooner  Transport,  Captain  Bray,  of  Bristol,  R.  I. 
The  schooner  was  wrecked  on  Tierra  del  Fuego 
in  March,  1833.  The  crew  were  all  saved  and 
taken  off  by  the  Unicorn,  Captain  Low.  Nicho- 
las, preferring  a  savage  life,  left  the  Unicorn  at 
Gregory's  Bay,  and  has  been  with  the  Indians 
ever  since. 

He  tells  us  that  there  is  a  man  named  Daniel 
Smith,  of  New  York,  and  also  an  Englishman  and 
a  Portuguese,  who  left  their  clan  some  time  ago 
to  search  for  a  vessel  in  which  they  might  leave 
the  country.  What  had  become  of  them,  whether 
they  had  escaped  or  perished  with  hunger,  or  at 
the  hands  of  the  savages,  he  knew  not.  At  even- 
ing Nicholas  returned  with  his  Indian  master  to 
the  Queen's  camp,  which  he  judged  was  about 
twelve  miles  from  here,  while  Henry  and  Harry 
remain  with  us. 

Sabbath,  Ja)i.  5.  The  Indians  have  been  inter- 
changing visits  with  the  Queen's  party  during  the 
day.  Wc  have  not  yet  seen  her  Majesty,  but  one 
of  us  will  probably  go  to  her  camp  to-morrow. 
We  are  told  that  there  are  about  five  hundred 
Indians  in  her  train.  We  learn  also  that  many 
of  these  savages  play  at  cards,  which  recreation 


ARRIVAL  OF    THE   "QUEEN."  153 

they  call  berrica,  and  also  at  dice,  which  they  call 
terraci.  Ball-playing  they  call  sonkcy,  and  in  this 
they  have  indulged  largely  to-day.  Surely  we 
have  been  preceded  by  missionaries  in  Patagonia, 
though  not  by  ambassadors  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 
These  poor,  blind  natives  have  not  been  told  the 
story  of  redemption  nor  taught  "  the  name  which 
is  above  every  name,"  except  to  profane  it. 
They  know  nothing  of  the  Sabbath  of  rest  and 
peace — nothing  of  its  elevating  and  soul-inspiring 
joys. 

They  have  learned  to  swear  and  gamble,  to 
smoke  and  drink,  but  they  have  unlearned  none 
of  their  original  sins. 

About  sunset  our  attention  was  turned  to  the 
tent  of  Santa  Rio,  the  Spaniard,  by  groanings, 
rattlings,  and  strange  noises.  We  went  imme- 
diately to  him,  and  found  him  complaining  of 
sickness  and  great  pain.  An  Indian  doctor  was 
sitting  upon  him,  moaning,  wailing,  sucking  his 
thumbs,  striking  his  breast,  blowing  through  his 
fists,  sucking  the  eyebrows  and  face  of  his  patient, 
blowing  upon  him,  and  rattling  over  his  head  two 
bags  of  dry  skins,  in  the  form  of  junk-bottles,  in 
which  were  a  large  quantity  of  pebbles. 

This    ceremony    was   continued   a    long   time, 


154  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

until  one  would  suppose  that  a  well  man  would 
have  fallen  sick,  and  a  sick  man  would  have 
died. 

By  what  we  saw  on  this  occasion  we  are  led  to 
think  that  these  savages,  like  many  of  the  more 
civilized  races,  believe  in  possession  by  evil  spirits, 
and  that  these  wild  and  superstitious  measures 
are  practised  to  exorcise  them. 

Jan.  6.  The  long-looked-for  Patagonian  Queen 
has  at  last  arrived.  She  comes  to  us  not  in  regal 
pomp  and  royal  splendor,  attended  with  a  bril- 
liant retinue  of  "  peers  of  the  realm,"  but  as  a 
savage  squaw  with  a  few  straggling  attendants, 
and  escorted  hither  by  Mr.  Arms,  who  went  up  to 
her  camp  this  morning. 

Santa  Maria  is  an  aged  woman,  tall,  large,  and 
well  formed,  with  a  mild  and  somewhat  intelligent 
face.  She  is  partially  civilized ;  has  visited  the 
Falkland  Islands,  and  converses  tolerably  well  in 
Spanish.  She  appears  amiable  in  her  disposition, 
and  we  are  pleased  with  her.  She  is  now  living, 
as  we  are  told,  with  her  fourth  husband,  whose 
name  is  Kahatech.  She  has  four  sons,  viz.,  Par- 
pon,  Toorloon,  Checo,  and  Bistante.  The  oldest 
is  a  captain  in  the  clan. 

On  entering  our  tent  the  Queen  offered  rnc  her 


ARRIVAL    OF    THE  '' QUEEN."  155 

hand  with  civility  and  kindness,  and  then  intro- 
duced her  husband,  for  whom  she  manifests  much 
affection. 

We  prepared  a  dinner  of  boiled  meat,  and  our 
royal  guests  partook  with  us  in  the  best  style  we 
could  offer.  They  seemed  to  relish  the  savory 
meat,  and,  as  we  furnished  but  one  course,  the 
dinner  was  soon  despatched.  Our  conversation 
then  turned  on  various  subjects,  and  she  inquired 
of  us  how  long  we  would  remain  in  her  country, 
what  goods  we  had  brought,  when  there  would  be 
more  vessels  at  the  bay,  etc.,  etc. 

She  also  invited  us,  with  great  apparent  cor- 
diality, to  go  and  live  with  her.  This  invitation 
we  thought  best  to  decline  for  the  present,  as  we 
do  not  expect  to  find  friends  who  will  treat  us 
with  more  kindness  than  the  family  of  Louis. 

On  telling  the  Queen  that  I  would  visit  her  at 
her  lodge  in  a  few  days,  she  insisted  on  my  re- 
turning with  her  to-day  and  spending  some  time 
with  her;  and  her  importunity  became  so  great 
that,  after  several  excuses  on  my  part,  I  assented 
to  go  with  her  at  once,  and  made  my  preparations 
to  leave. 

We  then  presented  her  with  a  nice  scarlet 
broadcloth  cloak  which  we  had  made  on  board 


156  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

the  Mary  Jane  on  our  voyage  out.  We  also  gave 
her  a  hatchet,  several  knives,  thimbles,  needles, 
etc.,  with  which  she  seemed  much  gratified.  She 
had  detailed  a  fine  horse  for  me,  and  we  all 
mounted,  and  the  cavalcade  set  out  at  near  sun- 
down for  the  royal  camp.  We  found  the  distance 
not  great,  and  as  the  summer  twilight  in  this  high 
latitude  is  prolonged,  we  arrived  at  the  camp 
before  it  was  ended.  The  Indians  crowded 
around  in  great  numbers  to  welcome  their  chief 
and  to  get  a  peep  at  the  stranger. 

I  was  invited  immediately  into  the  Queen's 
tent,  which  is  larger  than  any  of  the  others,  but 
made  and  furnished  in  the  same  general  style.  It 
is  occupied  by  several  families  in  her  train. 

Santa  Maria  dresses  in  a  mantle  of  skins,  wears 
a  few  beads  around  her  wrists,  and  when  she  rides 
out  wears  a  pair  of  boots  made  of  the  skin  of  a 
horse's  leg ;  but  in  none  of  her  personal  attire  is 
she  distinguished  from  a  private  individual.  I 
supped  with  her  and  her  husband  on  roast  guana- 
co,  and  this  ended,  she  prepared  my  bed  of  skins, 
and  covered  me  with  the  care  of  a  mother. 

Jan.  7.  On  arising  this  morning  the  good  old 
Queen  brought  me  a  piggin  of  water  and  a  piece 
of  soap  to  wash  my  hands  and  face.     This  was  a 


ARRIVAL    OF    THE    "QUEEN."  i^j 

novelty.  It  is  the  first  time  I  have  seen  a  Pata- 
gonian  think  of  water  to  wash  face  or  hands,  or 
food  or  clothing. 

After  this  ablution  a  good  breakfast  of  boiled 
meat  was  provided,  with  salt  to  flavor  it.  After 
breakfast  the  old  lady  inquired  how  long  I  would 
stay,  and  when  I  told  her  that  I  must  return 
to-day,  she  urged  me  to  remain  another  night. 
She  did  all  in  her  power  to  render  my  visit  agree- 
able, and  I  have  seldom  been  treated  with  more 
simple  and  genuine  hospitality  even  in  a  civilized 
land.  Finding  that  I  could  not  be  persuaded  to 
remain  over  another  night,  she  girded  a  horse  for 
herself  and  another  for  me,  and  at  3  P.M.  we  set 
out,  and  she  escorted  me  back  to  our  encamp- 
ment, rested  there  a  while,  and  then  returned  to 
her  own  quarters. 

As  I  was  about  to  leave  her  tent  she  presented 
me  with  a  new  guanaco  mantle  made  in  the  best 
manner,  and  finely  painted.  She  also  gave  me 
seven  hen's  eggs  from  a  hen  which  she  kept  in  her 
wigwam  with  great  care.  A  the  time  Mr.  Arms 
visited  her,  she  gave  him  a  mantle  made  of  lion- 
skin,  the  only  one  of  the  kind  in  her  possession. 
Among  the  Queen's  household  I  saw  a  man  whom 
the  Indians  call  padre,  and  who  acts  as  a  kind  of 


158  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

priest,  though  I  cannot  learn  that  he  has  any  offi- 
cial duties  to  discharge  except  in  burying  the 
dead.  The  padre  wears  his  hair  and  his  mantle 
like  the  women,  lives  in  celibacy,  performs  no 
hard  labor,  and  is  supported  by  others.  All  this, 
of  course,  comes  from  some  former  contact  with 
the  Catholics  ;  it  may  be  from  intercourse  with  the 
Spaniards  along  the  Rio  Negro  on  the  north,  with 
an  old  and  abandoned  settlement  at  Port  Desire, 
on  the  Atlantic  coast,  or  another  at  Port  Famine, 
within  the  Strait  of  Magellan.  And  it  is  not  im- 
probable that  Santa  Maria  has  been  baptized  by  a 
Catholic  priest,  as  her  name  would  indicate. 

As  yet  we  have  v/itnessed  no  death  and  no 
funeral  rites  among  the  savages,  but  we  are  told 
by  some  of  Santa  Maria's  party  that  when  a  man 
dies  he  is  buried  in  a  small  hole  in  the  ground,  the 
padre  treading  down  the  earth  over  him,  and  that 
then  his  horses  and  dogs  are  all  killed,  and  his 
tent  frame  and  covering,  his  mantles,  lasso,  bolas, 
skins,  and  all  that  pertains  to  him,  are  burned,  no 
vestige  of  the  man,  or  of  any  thing  that  he  pos- 
sessed in  life,  remaining. 

On  inquiry  as  to  the  marriage  ceremony,  we 
were  told  that  the  lover  purchases  a  wife  with  a 
horse  or  horses  of  her  father,  and  that  the  nup- 


I 


ARRIVAL    OF   THE    "QUEEN."  159 

tials  are  celebrated  by  killing  and  eating  a  horse. 
Polygamy  is  common  among  the  Patagonians, 
and  husbands  and  wives  have  little  regard  for 
fidelity,  and  part  at  will. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

SAIL  HO  ! 

Jan.  8.  Some  Indians  ascended  Table  Moun- 
tain, near  us,  this  morning,  where  they  obtain  an 
extensive  view  of  the  Strait,  and  returned  with 
the  report  that  a  vessel  was  coming  into  the  bay 
from  the  south-west.  Immediately  the  whole 
camp  was  in  commotion,  and  the  loud  cry  of 
"  Barko  Americana!  Barko  Americana!"  rang 
from  tent  to  tent.  Troops  of  savages  were  soon 
mounted  on  their  horses,  and  galloping  ofT  at  full 
speed  to  meet  the  coming  stranger.  Nothing 
seems  to  excite  such  jubilant  feelings  as  the 
approach  of  a  vessel  to  their  shores,  and  I  must 
confess  that  on  this  occasion  my  heart  partook 
largely  of  the  general  joy,  though  my  emotions 
were  excited  by  very  different  motives  from  those 
of  the  crowd.  They  longed  for  tobacco,  rum,  and 
fire-arms;  we  longed  for  news  from  the  civilized 
world,  for  news  from  home.  Hope  filled  us  with 
unutterable  joy. 


SAIL   HO!  16 1 

My  companion  mounted  a  horse  and  \vcnt 
down  to  the  shore  with  the  Indians,  while  I  re- 
mained to  guard  the  tent.  At  evening  Mr.  Arms 
returned  and  reported  that  the  vessel  was  a 
French  brig  from  Valparaiso,  bound  to  Havre ; 
that  three  of  the  American  sailors  who  had  so 
long  been  in  Santa  Maria's  clan  had  succeeded  in 
getting  on  board  and  shipping  for  France;  and 
that  the  captain  had  received  him  very  cour- 
teously, and  kindly  offered  us  a  free  passage  in 
his  brig :  a  generous  offer,  for  which  both  we  and 
our  patrons  and  friends  at  home  will  ever  thank 
him. 

Thus  the  first  vessel  we  have  seen  has  come 
and  gone  without  a  letter  or  a  paper  from  our 
dear  country,  or  "  a  wish  or  a  thought"  from 
friends  who  are  dear  to  us  as  life.  This  is  tanta- 
lizing, but  we  bear  it  patiently,  for  it  is  one  of  the 
conditions  of  our  mission  to  Patagonia. 

"  Though  the  vision  tarry"  we  will  wait  for  it, 
because  it  will  come  in  due  time.  We  are  not 
prepared  to  leave  this  country  as  yet,  even  by  the 
very  favorable  opportunity  now  offered  us.  We 
wish  to  meet  other  Indian  tribes,  if  possible,  and 
to  learn  more  of  the  country  and  of  the  condition 
of  its  people,  trusting  that  when  our  work  shall 


1 62  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

have  been  done,  the  good  Lord  will  send  us  a 
direct  conveyance  back  to  our  country  and 
friends.      So  we  wait  the  will  of  our  Master. 

Jan.  9.  We  set  out  this  morning  before  sunrise, 
to  visit  the  French  brig.  Found  multitudes  of 
natives  on  the  shore,  where  they  had  spent  the 
night  in  the  open  air.  As  the  wind  was  high  and 
the  sea  rough,  no  boat  was  sent  to  the  shore 
from  the  brig,  and  about  8  A.M.  she  was  under 
sail  and  wafted  out  of  the  harbor.  Just  as  her 
sails  were  being  unfurled,  two  vessels  were  descried 
at  a  great  distance  coming  in  from  the  east.  This 
caused  shoiits  of  transport  among  the  Indians, 
and  a  new  thrill  of  joy  ran  through  my  heart,  for 
I  said  now  surely  we  shall  have  tidings  from  the 
outer  world,  and  from  our  native  land.  So  we  all 
sat  down  upon  the  banks  of  the  Strait,  determined 
to  wait  the  arrival  of  these  vessels.  Wind  and 
tide  opposed  the  progress  of  the  schooners,  and 
they  were  long  in  beating  up  into  the  bay. 
Meanwhile  I  wrote  a  pencil  note  to  Mr.  Arms,  in- 
forming him  of  the  approaching  vessels  and  tell- 
ihg  him  not  to  be  anxious  for  me,  as  it  was  prob- 
able I  should  be  obliged  to  remain  over  night  in 
order  to  communicate  with  them.  This  note  I 
gave  to  an  Indian,  bidding  him  to  speed  with  it 


SAIL   HO!  163 

to  Mr.  Arms.  Off  he  went  at  full  gallop  and  was 
soon  out  of  sight. 

It  was  almost  sunset  when  the  first  schooner 
arrived  and  dropped  her  anchor  within  hailing  dis- 
tance from  the  shore.  I  at  once  hailed  the  vessel 
in  English,  and  the  captain  sent  his  boat  and 
brought  me  on  board.  I  introduced  myself  and 
told  him  the  cause  of  our  visit  to  this  country  and 
our  present  condition  among  the  Indians.  I  en- 
quired for  letters,  papers  and  news,  but  he  replied 
that  he  had  no  letters  and  no  news,  as  he  had 
been  long  at  sea.  He  was  from  New  Bedford, 
Mass.  Soon  the  second  schooner, 'the  Peruvian, 
of  Boston,  came  up  and  anchored  outside  of  us, 
and  I  hailed  her  from  the  deck  of  the  first.  The 
captain  invited  me  cordially  to  come  on  board 
the  Peruvian,  but  as  it  was  near  night,  the 
wind  strong  and  the  sea  rough,  it  seemed  impru- 
dent to  attempt  boarding  her.  She  was  reported 
bound  for  the  Society  Islands,  and  the  New  Bed- 
ford vessel  for  the  Sandwich  Islands,  carrying  a 
cargo  of  New  England  rum. 

Having  had  no  bread  and  no  vegetables  for 
nearly  two  months,  I  asked  the  captain  if  he 
would  sell  us  a  few  pounds  of  sea  biscuit  and  a 
few  other  edibles.     He  replied  that  he  had  noth- 


1 64  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

ing  to  spare  ;  that  his  voyage  had  been  long  and 
unfortunate,  and  that  he  must  keep  what  provi- 
sions he  had.  I  then  suggested  that  he  might  de- 
sire to  replenish  his  store  of  meat  by  trading  a 
little  with  the  Indians,  of  whom  there  were  many 
on  shore.  To  this  he  objected,  saying  he  did  not 
like  the  looks  of  these  savages,  and  that  he  would 
have  nothing  to  do  with  them.  Finding  my  sug- 
gestions rebuffed,  and  being  very  hungry,  having 
eaten  nothing  since  sunrise,  and  thinking  I  might 
get  some  food  among  the  savages  on  shore,  I  ask- 
ed the  captain  if  he  would  be  so  kind  as  to  return 
me  to  the  beach.  To  this  he  said  no,  for  it  was  quite 
rough  and  he  had  taken  in  his  boats  for  the  night. 
I  then  said,  "  Very  well,  I  am  on  board,  and  if 
you  will  allow  me  to  sleep  on  the  transom  and 
set  me  on  shore  in  the  morning,  all  will  be  right." 
So  we  went  below  to  the  cabin,  where  I  hoped  to 
see  a  table  spread  for  supper.  But  as  no  table 
was  laid  I  reasoned  that  all  hands  had  eaten  be- 
fore I  went  on  board  ;  but  the  steward,  for  what 
reason  I  know  not,  on  clearing  off  the  supper 
table,  had  left  a  plate,  with  one  jjancakc  on  it. 
Now  we  are  forbidden  to  covet,  but  I  found  it 
hard  to  suppress  my  desire  to  eat  that  cake.  Still 
1  licld  back  till  near  bed-time,  trying  hard   to   en- 


SAIL  I/O! 


i6s 


tcrtain  the  captain  with  conversation,  especially 
on  matters  pertaining  to  his  profession  as  a  sea- 
man and  on  my  experiences  of  Patagonian  life, 
hoping  that  my  remarks  on  these  experiences  in 
the  matter  of  eating  would  be  rightly  interpreted. 
At  last  forbearance  seemed  to  cease  to  be  a 
virtue,  and  I  became  desperate  and  burst  out  with 
"  Captain,  I  am  very  hungry ;  I  have  eaten  noth- 
ing since  morning,  and  have  eaten  nothing  made 
of  flour  for  many  weeks.  I  see  a  cake  on  your 
table  and  with  your  permission  I  would  like  to 
eat  it."  He  gave  his  consent,  and  immediately 
called  out,  "  Steward  !  here,  bring  on  some  grub  ; 
this  man  is  hungry,"  In  rushed  the  steward  with 
a  plate  of  "  cold  junk"  (salt  beef)  and  another  of 
"  hard-tack"  (sea  biscuit).  The  feast  was  sweeter 
to  my  taste  than  the  best  Thanksgiving  dinner  I 
ever  ate,  though  it  might  have  been  sweeter  still. 
I  thanked  the  captain  for  my  delicious  repast  and 
lay  down  on  the  transom  for  the  night. 

Jan.  lo.  Early  this  morning  I  awoke,  and  tak- 
ing leave  of  the  captain  and  the  vessel,  went  on 
shore  with  the  mate,  mounted  my  horse,  and 
with  an  Indian  attendant  sped  over  the  plains  to 
our  little  home,  to  breafast  with  Mr.  Arms  on  hot 
soup  and  boiled  guanaco. 


1 66  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAG0NL4. 

Before  leaving  the  beach,  I  saw  the  Peruvian 
under  sail  and  seeking  a  safer  anchorage  about  a 
mile  further  up  the  bay.  Hundreds  of  Indians 
slept  on  the  shore  during  the  night,  hoping  to 
open  a  trade  with  the  vessels,  and  there  they  will 
remain,  though  half  starved,  for  a  week,  should 
the  schooners  remain  so  long. 

Captain  Congo  put  a  new  guanaco  robe  with  a 
fine  piece  of  venison  into  my  hands,  as  I  landed 
this  morning,  wishing  me  to  send  them  as  a  pres- 
ent to  the  captain  of  the  schooner  in  his  name. 
This  I  did,  committing  them  to  the  charge  of  the 
mate  who  returned  with  the  boat  to  the  vessel. 

On  board  the  New  Bedford  schooner  yesterday, 
I  met  the  three  American  sailors  who  had  succeed- 
ed in  getting  off  to  the  French  brig  the  day  be- 
fore. The  brig  meeting  this  schooner  coming 
into  the  bay,  the  master  requested  the  captain  of 
the  American  vessel  to  take  these  men,  which  he 
did.  I  found  them  divested  of  their  Indian  dress, 
washed,  shaved,  and  comfortably  clad  in  the  attire 
of  seamen.  All  this  cleansing  and  clothing  had 
been  kindly  done  for  them  on  board  the  French 
vessel,  and  their  appearance  was  so  much  im- 
proved I  did  not  recognize  them  at  first,  and  when 
they   addressed   me    by  name   I   enquired   where 


SAIL   HO!  \(ii 

they  had  seen  me.  The  poor  fellows  were  much 
elated  at  the  opportunity  of  leaving  these  now 
dreaded  shores. 

Jan.  1 1.  The  cry  of  "  Barko  !"  again  rang  through 
the  camp  this  morning,  and  Mr.  Arms  took  horse 
and  went  down  to  the  Strait.  On  his  arrival  he 
found  the  sail  to  be  one  of  the  schooners,  which 
attempted  to  sail  yesterday  morning  and  was 
driven  back  by  a  strong  head-wind. 

The  Queen  and  her  party  have  all  come  down 
and  pitched  with  us,  so  that  we  now  have  a  camp 
of  some  7CK)  around  us. 

Last  evening,  about  sunset.  Captain  Congo, 
with  the  large  troop  left  at  Gregory's  Bay  when 
I  returned  in  the  morning,  came  up  from  the  sea 
in  a  remarkably  jubilant  mood.  The  Indian  who 
headed  the  train  had  an  empty  flour-barrel  before 
him,  lying  across  the  neck  of  his  horse.  On  this 
cask  he  Avas  drumming  with  great  energy,  and 
shouting,  "  Americana  barko  bono  !  Americana 
barko  bono  !"  while  the  whole  line  of  Indians 
joined  in  the  refrain,  shouting,  laughing,  and 
making  the  welkin  ring  with   their  jubilation. 

We  were  sitting  in  our  little  tent  and  looking 
at  the  long  line  in  **  Indian  file,"  when  the  drum- 
mer rode  up  in  front  of  us,  bent  over  and  tossed 


l68  ADVENTURES   IN  FATAGONIA. 

like  a  quoit  a  sea-biscuit  into  our  tent.  Another 
and  another  followed  and  performed  the  same  act, 
until  we  seemed  in  danger  of  a  surfeit.  We  were 
surprised,  and  could  in  no  wise  account  for  this 
liberal  shower  of  food,  falling  like  maima  from 
heaven.  I  had  left  a  ship  that  morning  without 
a  piece  of  bread  or  a  grain  of  rice  in  my  pocket. 
How  then  had  these  savages  succeeded  in  obtain- 
ing such  a  supply?  It  is  a  riddle  which  we  can- 
not interpret.  We  can  only  thank  the  Lord  for 
giving  us,  "without  money  and  Vv'ithout  price," 
that  which  we  vainly  sought  with  money,  and 
which  we  would  not  have  refused  even  at  a  dollar 
a  pound. 

We  invited  Captain  Congo  and  the  Spanish 
Indian  into  our  tent  to-day,  to  inquire  more  at 
length  of  them  about  the  country  and  the  people. 
These  men  tell  us  that  they  have  travelled  all 
over  Patagonia,  and  their  descriptions  accorded 
so  nearly  with  our  maps  that  wc  were  satisfied 
that  they  had  seen  what  they  reported.  Wc  first 
requested  them  to  tell  us  what  they  knew  of  the 
Atlantic  coast  in  going  north  from  the  Strait. 
They  first  mentioned  a  river  and  a  harbor  where 
vessels  sometimes  anchor,  giving  the  number  of 
days  occupied   by  the   Indians    in   reaching  that 


SAIL  HO! 


169 


place.  This  we  conclude  to  be  Port  Gallegas. 
Next  came  Santa  Cruz,  which  they  named  distinct- 
ly. After  this,  and  in  a  given  number  of  days,  they 
reached  the  small  river  which  flows  into  Port  St. 
Julian.  Next,  after  many  days,  they  reached  Port 
Desire,  with  its  river  of  considerable  volume,  and 
the  debris  of  its  ancient  fort  and  settlement,  once 
occupied  by  the  Spaniards.  Further  on  they 
mentioned  a  great  gulf,  or  a  deep  indenture  of 
the  coast,  which  must  be  St.  George's  Gulf.  Still 
further  north  was  another  river  of  much  water, 
which  must  be  the  Chuput,  and  after  long  ram- 
blings,  and  fording  of  some  smaller  streams,  they 
came  in  sight  of  the  settlements  in  the  region  of 
the  Rio  Negro. 

In  going  up  the  coast  they  described  much  zig- 
zagging to  avoid  obstacles  and  to  find  fording 
places  on  the  rivers.  Their  descriptions  seemed 
credible  in  a  remarkable  degree,  as  they  accorded 
so  nearly  with  the  map  which  was  before  us. 

Having  thus  followed  our  guides  along  the 
Atlantic  coast,  where  we  had  data  and  way-marks 
to  detect  errors,  we  next  requested  them  to  lead 
us  through  the  interior,  which,  to  all  the  world 
beside  the  Patagonian,  is  a  terra  hicognita,  and  a 
land  of  romantic  conjecture. 


170 


ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 


They  assured  us  that  they  had  explored  all 
that  region,  that  in  some  parts  there  was  "  much 
grass,  much  ostrich,  much  guanaco,  much  lion," 
with  some  other  quadrupeds  and  a  few  birds. 
They  also  said  that  in  one  place  there  was  a  great 
salt  desert,  with  here  and  there  lakes  and  ponds 
of  water,  and  we  understood  them  to  speak  of 
regions  of  sand  and  of  something  which  we  sup- 
pose to  be  volcanic  ashes  and  other  plutonic  pro- 
ducts. 

We  then  took  them  farther  west,  to  the  moun- 
tain ranges  and  spurs,  inquiring  if  the  Indians 
had  ever  gone  to  the  bases  and  foot-hills  of  the 
great  mountains.  They  assured  us  that  they  had, 
and  that  there  were  woodlands  and  swamps  which 
they  could  not  penetrate,  that  the  mountains 
were  high  and  rugged  and  bold,  and  that  they 
were  often  covered  with  snow,  so  that  horses 
could  find  no  grass,  and  that  Indus  would  be  very 
cold  and  hungry  and  could  not  get  over  the 
mountains.  All  this  they  acted  out  with  ener- 
getic gesticulation,  so  that  wc  could  not  mistake 
them. 

We  then  inquired  as  to  the  probable  number 
of  inhabitants  in  the  whole  country.  Santa  Rio 
says  there  are  three  nations  inhabiting  this  land, 


SAIL  HO! 


171 


speaking  different  languages  and  of  different 
habits  of  life. 

On  the  northern  borders  are  what  he  called  the 
Oucas  tribe,  numbering  several  thousands.  These 
live  in  tents  of  skin  like  the  southern  clans,  and 
are  partly  agricultural  and  partly  nomadic.  They 
have  horned  cattle,  horses,  and  sheep,  and  they 
also  cultivate  the  earth  to  some  extent.  Occa- 
sionally they  remove  to  short  distances  to  obtain 
grass  for  their  cattle  when  it  is  exhausted  near  them. 

South  of  this  region  he  again  speaks  of  the 
great  desert  as  covered  in  some  parts  with  thorns 
and  prickly  shrubs,  so  thick  as  to  render  travelling 
very  tedious.  Still  further  south  is  the  nation  with 
whom  we  live,  occupying  the  open  country''  from 
the  Atlantic  to  the  western  hills,  and  south  to  the 
Magellan  Strait.  These  are  sometimes  called  the 
Santa  Cruz  nation,  and  number  about  a  thousand. 
All  these,  he  tells  us,  we  have  met  except  one 
clan  of  a  few  hundreds,  who  are  still  hunting  far 
to  the  north.  The  other  tribe  is  called  the  Port 
Famine  tribe,  few  in  number,  a  mixed  and  inferior 
race,  mostly  wanderers  from  Terra  del  Fuego. 
With  this  clan  we  may  include  all  the  miserable 
savages  of  Terra  del  Fuego  and  of  the  western 
coast  of  Patagonia. 


172 


ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 


This  account  of  the  inhabitants  of  this  great 
and  wild  country,  with  its  islands  and  smaller 
islets,  may  be  approximately  correct  or  it  may  be 
erroneous.  I  give  it  as  received  on  the  best 
authority  we  now  have.  But  our  data  are  few 
and  our  sources  of  information  imperfect.  If  cor- 
rected by  further  researches  we  shall  be  glad. 

About  the  immortality  of  the  soul  and  the 
character  of  the  future  state,  subjects  which  we 
brought  forward  in  this  conversation,  we  find  their 
notions  somewhat  similar  to  those  of  the  North 
American  Indians.  They  believe  in  the  existence 
of  the  soul  after  death,  and  in  a  distinction  be- 
tween the  good  and  bad.  When  a  good  Indian 
dies  they  say  he  will  go  to  a  land  where  there  is 
no  night,  no  winter,  no  pain,  and  no  death,  but 
where  there  is  constant  sunshine  and  eternal 
beauty,  and  where  all  will  be  supplied  with  fine 
horses  and  with  everything  which  the  heart  de- 
sires ;  but  as  there  will  be  no  hunger  or  thirst 
there  will  be  no  need  of  hunting  and  striving  for 
food.  When  the  bad  Indian  dies,  they  say  he  will 
descend  deep  to  an  evil  land,  filled  with  darkness 
and  barrenness  and  thorns,  where  there  is  much 
fighting  and  sorrow. 

We  could  not  feci  sure  that  these  crude  notions 


SAIL  HO! 


173 


of  the  future  state,  with  its  rewards  and  punish- 
ments, originated  with  the  Patagonian  savages. 
It  seems  more  probable  that  they  are  the  result 
of  imperfect  information  on  the  Christian  religion 
communicated  to  them  by  sailors  or  Spaniards 
with  whom  they  have  come  in  contact. 

We  could  not  find  that  they  have  any  distinct 
notions  of  a  Supreme  Being  who  created  and  who 
sustains  and  governs  all  things.  When  we  called 
their  attention  to  tangible  objects,  as  mountains, 
waters,  the  sun,  moon,  etc.,  and  inquired  who 
made  all  these  things,  their  minds  seemed  utterly 
blank,  as  if  it  were  a  subject  on  which  they  had 
never  bestowed  a  passing  thought.  As  yet  we 
have  seen  nothing  which  appeared  like  religious 
worship  among  them.  One  day,  while  riding  out 
in  company  with  Captain  Louis,  on  coming  to  a 
clump  of  bushes  he  dismounted,  and  with  his 
knife  cut  off  a  portion  of  his  horse's  mane,  rolled 
it  into  a  little  wisp,  dug  a  hole  among  the  bushes 
and  carefully  buried  it.  He  then  remounted  his 
horse  and  we  rode  on  without  explanation,  so 
that  I  was  left  only  to  conjecture  as  to  the  mean- 
ing of  the  act. 

On  inquiring  how  they  would  like  to  have 
American  teachers  come   and  teach  them  to  read 


174 


ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 


and  write,  as  we  did,  and  to  instruct  them  in  all 
things  useful  and  good,  they  seemed  delighted 
with  the  idea,  and  said  it  was  "  much  bono." 
And  when  we  suggested  the  thought  of  building 
a  large  mission-house  at  Gregory's  Bay,  where 
their  children  might  remain  and  be  instructed 
while  the  parents  roamed  for  sustenance  for 
themselves  and  their  horses,  they  became  much 
animated  with  the  subject,  and  said  that  the  In- 
dians would  all  leave  their  children  with  the 
Americans,  and  would  come  now  and  then  to  see 
them  and  bring  them  "  much  guanaco  and  much 
mantle." 

They  seemed  very  anxious  to  know  if  mis- 
sionaries would  be  sent,  and  how  many  moons 
it  would  be  before  they  would  come;  also  whether 
they  would  build  "  casa  grande" — a  large  tent — 
with  many  other  things  relating  to  the  subject. 
Of  course  we  could  make  them  no  definite  prom- 
ise, but  we  thought  it  well  to  put  these  questions 
in  order  to  ascertain  their  minds  with  regard  to 
them  though  they  little  understood  their  import, 
in  order  to  have  something  to  report  to  the 
friends  of  missions  in  the  United  States. 

From  our  conversation  with  these  chiefs  to-day 
we  despair  of  ever  being  able  to  reach  the  western 


SAIL  HO! 


175 


coast  by  land  in  the  vicinity  of  the  peninsula  of 
Tres  Montes,  and  we  can  only  wait  the  develop- 
ments of  Providence  as  to  our  future  course. 

Soon  after  this  conversation  our  camp  was 
again  set  in  motion  by  the  cry  "  Barko  !  Barko  !" 
On  inquiry  we  were  assured  that  a  vessel  was 
coming  in  from  the  east.  I  therefore  took  a  spy- 
glass, and  mounting  a  horse  with  Captain  Congo, 
ascended  the  hill  behind  our  camp  for  observa- 
tion. But  as  no  vessel  was  to  be  seen  from  this 
point,  we  concluded  that  it  was  a  false  report, 
and  Congo  said  on  descending  to  the  camp : 
"  Ingus  hablao  much  mentair" — Indians  tell  many 
lies. 

Jan.  12.  A  memorable  day.  We  were  aroused 
early  this  morning  by  the  Indians,  who  came  to 
assure  us  that  a  vessel  had  actually  come  into  the 
bay.  On  arising  we  found  large  numbers  of  the 
savages  preparing  to  go  down  to  the  shore,  and 
we  therefore  concluded,  as  it  afterwards  proved, 
that  this  was  not  a  false  alarm. 

I  mounted  a  horse  already  prepared  for  me,  and 
with  the  great  Congo  and  others  rushed  down  to 
the  bay.  On  our  arrival  we  found  that  the  vessel 
had  not  anchored,  but  was  a  considerable  distance 
off   and    slowly  approaching    the    harbor.     With 


176  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

Congo  and  a  number  of  petty  chiefs  I  then  rode 
some  distance  up  the  shore  to  obtain  a  nearer 
view  of  the  schooner.  On  approaching  opposite 
us  and  seeing  a  troop  of  Indians  on  horseback, 
the  British  flag  was  displayed,  a  gun  fired,  the 
vessel  hove  to,  and  a  boat  lowered  and  headed  for 
the  shore.  As  the  boat  neared  the  land  I  hailed 
her  in  the  English- tongue,  "  Boat  ahoy  !" 

A  well  dressed  gentleman  in  the  stern  of  the 
boat  sprang  to  his  feet  as  if  a  shell  had  exploded 
alongside,  and  called  out,  "  WJio  ?  WJiat  do  I  hear  ? 
My  mother  tongue  in  this  strange  land  ?"  I 
instantly  introduced  myself  to  the  gentlem.an, 
and  he  as  quickly  returned  the  compliment,  "  H. 
Penny,  of  Liverpool,  England,  owner  of  the 
schooner  Sappho  and  cargo,  bound  to  Mazatlan, 
California."  I  invited  him  to  beach  the  boat  and 
come  on  shore.  He  inquired  if  it  were  safe  to 
land  among  these  wild  savages,  as  he  had  heard 
that  they  were  giants,  very  treacherous,  and  can- 
nibals withal.  Having  assured  him  that  there 
was  no  danger,  the  boat  was  brought  to  land  and 
he  leaped  on  shore.  He  then  inquired  earnestly 
as  to  our  situation  and  life  among  this  people,  and 
I  gave  him  the  principal  facts  briefly.  He  re- 
marked  that   as  the  vessel  approached   the    bay 


SAIL  HO! 


177 


they  had  descried  a  troop  of  Indians  on  horse- 
back, and  feehng  a  curiosity  to  get  a  nearer  view 
of  them,  he  had  ordered  his  vessel  to  be  hove  to 
and  a  boat  to  be  lowered  that  he  might  approach 
the  shore  cautiously  to  reconnoitre,  not  dreaming 
of  finding  men  of  his  own  race  and  tongue.  He 
furthermore  said  he  had  brought  several  small 
presents  in  his  boat  to  give  him  access  to  the 
savages  in  case  he  should  deem  it  safe  to  land. 
On  asking  him  what  presents  he  had,  he  men- 
tioned a  box  of  raisins,  some  nuts,  prunes,  hand- 
kerchiefs, and  a  few  bottles  of  rum  or  gin.  These 
intoxicants  I  begged  him  to  conceal,  as  their  use 
by  the  savages  would  be  sure  to  make  trouble, 
and  might  end  in  the  loss  of  our  lives.  To  this 
request  Mr.  Penny  assented  readily,  and  leaving 
the  bottles  in  the  boat,  he  ordered  the  other  arti- 
cles to  be  brought  on  shore.  He  then  wished  me 
to  distribute  them  among  the  Indians  at  my  dis- 
cretion, pressing  a  liberal  share  upon  my  com- 
panion and  myself.  I  then  seated  all  the  Indians 
in  ranks  upon  the  grass,  opened  the  packages  and 
distributed  to  every  one  his  due  portion.  The 
Indians  laughed  and  shouted  and  fell  to  eating 
the  fruits  with  gusto  and  many  grunts,  making 
altogether  a  grotesque  scene. 


178 


ADVENTURES  EV  PATAGONIA. 


Captain  Congo  then  presented  through  me  a 
nice  guanaco  robe  to  Mr.  Penny,  which  was  ac- 
cepted with  many  expressions  of  gratitude. 
Meanwhile  Mr.  Penny  invited  me  to  go  on  board 
the  Sappho,  remarking,  "  You  will  be  highly 
pleased  with  my  captain  ;  he  is  a  missionary  man, 
a  good  Christian,  and  a  communicant  of  the 
Church  of  England."  I  cheerfully  accepted  the 
invitation  and  went  on  board.  Mr.  Penny  intro- 
duced me  to  Captain  M.  M.  Melward,  of  Liver- 
pool, adding  a  few  remarks  on  the  object  of  our 
visit  to  Patagonia,  and  our  state  and  circum- 
stances among  the  Indians.  The  captain's  recep- 
tion was  very  cordial.  He  grasped  my  hand,  and 
said,  while  tears  started  from  his  eyes,  "  My  dear 
friend,  what  can  I  do  for  you  ?  My  ship's  stores 
are  at  your  disposal ;  command  me  what  you  will 
and  you  shall  have  it."  His  tenderness  and 
generosity  were  very  touching,  and  he  showed 
himself  at  once  all  that  Mr.  Penny  had  declared 
him  to  be.  He  expressed  a  true  interest  and 
sympathy  in  our  work,  and  assured  me  that  it 
would  be  a  pleasure  to  him  if  he  could  be  of  any 
service  to  us. 

I  was  invited  to  lunch  with  him  and  Mr.  Penny, 
and    then  urged  to  take    liberally  of   the    ship's 


SAIL   HOI 


179 


stores,  to  carry  up  to  our  camp;  but  I  declined 
taking  anything  considerable,  as  an  abundance  of 
edibles  would  excite  the  cupidity  of  the  Indians 
and  lead  them  to  feel  that  they  were  no  longer 
under  obligations  to  feed  us  ;  and  then  we  did  not 
care  to  add  much  to  our  baggage ;  so  I  took  a  few 
sea-biscuits,  a  pound  or  two  of  salt  pork,  and, 
by  the  earnest  recommendation  of  Mr.  Penny, 
a  few  pounds  of  oatmeal  to  cook  in  our  soup. 

The  day  was  not  yet  spent,  nor  even  half  of  it. 
Our  good  friends  expressing  a  wish  to  see  our 
quarters  in  the  camp,  I  invited  them  to  accom- 
pany me  thither,  to  which  they  readily  assented. 
The  schooner  having  been  brought  to  a  good 
anchorage,  sails  furled  and  everything  made  snug, 
w^e  took  boat  for  the  shore,  where  the  Indians  had 
been  accumulating  for  hours,  to  the  number  of 
several  hundreds.  Signifying  our  desire  for  horses, 
two  were  immediately  offered  to  the  owner  and 
the  captain,  and  we  mounted  and  galloped  off,  a 
large  troop  of  savages  accompanying  us  with  a 
multitude  of  dogs.  Mr.  Penny,  who  is  young  and 
elastic,  and  who  has  travelled  among  the  Ameri- 
can Indians  in  Mexico,  California,  and  other  parts, 
was  a  bold  rider,  greatly  diverting  the  natives  by 
his  feats  of  skill,   such   as  turning  in  his  saddle 


i8o  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

and  riding  sidewisc,  first  on  one  side,  then  on  the 
other,  then  riding  on  his  knees  in  the  saddle,  then 
standing  upright  on  his  feet,  with  other  feats  of 
agihty.  All  this  was  done  while  our  horses  were 
on  a  full  gallop  and  with  the  dexterity  of  a  circus 
rider.  Meanwhile  Captain  Melward  kept  close 
by  my  side,  seeming  a  little  nervous  at  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  rude  natives.  As  they  rushed  this 
way  and  that,  coming  close  to  us  with  savage 
boldness,  the  captain  drew  closer  to  me  and  asked 
if  these  fellows  were  not  treacherous.  I  assured 
him  we  had  felt  no  fear  while  among  them,  though 
we  were  entirely  in  their  power.  At  length  we 
arrived  at  the  camp  ;  the  strangers  were  intro- 
duced to  Mr.  Arms,  and  after  a  little  conversation 
we  invited  them  to  dine  with  us,  our  frugal  table 
having  been  spread  with  the  production  (not  pro- 
ductions) of  the  country.  In  our  humble  canvas 
tent  the  merchant  and  traveller  and  the  English 
navigator  sat  down  with  two  obscure  American 
missionaries  to  a  Patagonian  dinner,  with  the  ad- 
dition of  sea-biscuit — a  delicious  luxury  to  us — 
just  received  from  the  schooner.  The  scene  was 
not  unworthy  of  a  sketch-book. 

The    sympathies    of    the    kind-hearted    captain 
seemed  much  enlisted  on  our  account.     I   heard 


SAIL  HO!  l8l 

him  say  to  Mr.  Penny  in  an  undertone,  "  This  is 
too  hard." 

With  renewed  expressions  of  kindness  and  as- 
surances of  desire  to  assist  us  to  a  greater  extent 
than  they  had  done,  these  friendly  gentlemen 
bade  us  good-bye  and  left  our  tent  in  season  to 
return  to  the  Sappho  before  dark. 

The  experiences  of  the  day  have  indeed  been 
among  the  pleasantest  of  our  sojourn  in  this  land. 

Jan.  13.  About  ten  o'clock  last  evening,  after 
we  had  retired,  some  one  called  at  our  tent  door 
for  admittance.  We  immediately  arose,  and  lo ! 
Mr.  Penny  had  returned  and  was  calling  for 
shelter  and  lodging.  On  entering  our  tent  he  in- 
formed us  that  when  they  reached  the  shore  the 
wind  was  so  boisterous  and  the  sea  ran  so  high 
that  he  feared  to  venture  out  in  the  boat,  and 
proposed  to  remain  on  land  till  after  sunset,  sup- 
posing that  the  wind  would  then  abate.  But  the 
captain,  fearing  for  the  safety  of  his  vessel,  had 
succeeded  with  no  little  risk  in  getting  on  board. 

There  was,  however,  no  abatement  of  the  wind, 
and  as  the  sea  increased  its  rage  the  boat  could 
not  return  for  him.  He  must  spend  the  night 
in  the  open  air,  with  the  prospect  of  a  storm  be- 
fore morning,  or  seek  to  reach  the  shelter  of  our 


1 82  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

tent.  He  had  no  horse  and  no  guide  at  com- 
mand, and  for  a  time  was  unable  to  persuade  an 
Indian  to  bring  him  up  to  us.  At  length,  how- 
ever, for  a  considerable  compensation,  a  sturdy 
savage  consented  to  take  him  behind  him  on  his 
horse  and  bring  him  up.  Two  other  Indians  kept 
them  company.  On  the  way  the  guide  left  the 
main  trail  and  turned  aside  to  a  clump  of  bushes. 
Here  he  dismounted,  ordered  Mr.  Penny  to  dis- 
mount, and  then  began  an  attempt  to  rifle  his 
pockets.  Mr.  Penny  was  alarmed,  and  urged  the 
Indian  to  remount  and  proceed,  but  he  was  stub- 
born, and  seemed  determined  to  possess  himself 
of  a  brace  of  pistols  which  he  felt  in  his  pockets. 
Mr.  Penny  kept  his  hands  on  them,  and  finally 
succeeded  in  satisfying  the  man  with  several  other 
articles,  especially  his  silk  pocket  handkerchief, 
which  having  made  into  a  rude  turban,  he  bound 
it  upon  his  bushy  head,  remounted  his  horse,  took 
the  Liverpool  merchant  up  behind  him,  and 
brought  him  safely  to  our  door. 

It  is  fortunate  that  Mr.  Penny  did  not  attempt 
to  use  his  pistols  in  this  unhappy  moment  of  ex- 
citement. Had  he  done  so,  instead  of  proving  a 
protection,  they  would  undoubtedly  have  cost  him 
his  life.     Had  he  dispatched    this   savage,  there 


SAIL  HOI  183 

were  two  more  near  by,  who  were  no  doubt 
watching  the  affair  in  the  dark,  and  who  would 
have  avenged  the  act  instantly  ;  or  even  had  he 
succeeded  in  dispatching  them  all,  he  would  have 
been  left  alone  and  helpless  in  the  night  and  in 
the  wilderness,  with  no  one  to  guide  him  back  to 
his  vessel  or  forward  to  our  camp,  and  on  the 
next  day  he  would  have  been  sure  to  fall  into  the 
hands  of  the  savages. 

And  just  here  it  may  be  proper  to  remark  that 
from  personal  experience,  observation,  and  reflec- 
tion, I  have  been  led  to  the  firm  conviction  that 
carrying  weapons,  whether  at  home  or  abroad, 
•  whether  travelling  in  civilized  or  savage  countries, 
is  seldom  a  protection  of  life,  but  the  contrary. 
Among  savages  the  armed  man  is  watched,  sus- 
pected, feared,  and  this  jealous  fear  often  pro- 
vokes attack.  As  with  nations,  so  with  indi- 
viduals, arming  on  one  side  leads  to  arming  on 
the  other  side,  suspicion  excites  suspicion,  fear 
awakens  fear,  and  intimidation  provokes  intimi- 
dation, until  blow  responds  to  blow,  and  there  is 
war  in  the  wigwam,  in  the  camp,  and  in  the  field. 
When  selectinfj  an  outfit  in  Boston  and  New 
York,  some  of  our  kindest  friends  advised  us  to 
take  arms  as  protectors  in  times  of  emergency  and 


1 84  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

danger.     This  counsel  we  rejected  and  went  un 
armed,  and  as  unprotected  as  children.     And  this 
weakness  we    believe  to  be  our    strength.     This 
defenceless  condition   is  our  defence.     This  lack 
of  fire-arms  is  as  "  a  wall  of  fire  round  about  us." 

But  to  return  to  our  guest.  We  were  truly 
glad  to  receive  Mr.  Penny  again  to  our  quarters, 
small  and  simple  as  they  were,  for  though  he 
was  brave  and  cheerful,  his  situation  was  very  un- 
comfortable. The  night  was  gloomy,  the  wind 
blew,  the  clouds  thickened  and  darkened,  and  a 
great  storm  was  impending.  He  was  separated 
from  his  vessel  and  captain,  not  knowing  what 
would  befall  them,  and  utterly  unable  at  this  time 
to  get  on  board. 

In  a  short  time  after  his  arrival  the  rain  fell  in 
torrents  and  the  night  gathered  blackness.  Had 
we  not  been  partly  protected  by  the  hills  behind 
us  from  the  careering  winds  our  tent  would  prob- 
ably have  been  blown  down,  leaving  us  exposed 
to  the  storm.  As  it  was  wc  were  kindly  shielded. 
The  storm  has  raged  on  through  the  day,  so  that 
there  was  no  going  out  till  late  in  the  afternoon, 
and  Mr.  Penny  was  shut  up  with  us  until  6  P.  M. 
The  rain  and  wind  now  so  far  abated  that  he  pro- 
posed, though   late   in  the  day,  to  return  to  the 


I 


SAIL   HO!  185 

Strait  and  make  another  attempt  to  go  on  board. 
Accordingly  horses  were  made  ready,  and  my 
companion,  attended  by  an  Indian  guide,'  accom- 
panied him  to  the  shore. 

At  dark  a  messenger  came  to  our  tent  with  our 
saddles  and  bridles,  and  informed  me  that  Mr. 
Arms  had  sent  back  the  horses  which  he  and  Mr. 
Penny  had  ridden  down,  and  that  he  would  sleep 
on  board  the  schooner. 

A  large  number  of  our  Indians  remain  on  the 
shore  notwithstanding  the  storm,  exposed  day 
and  night  to  the  rain  and  cold,  and  half  starved 
withal,  all  for  the  hope  of  obtaining  rum  and 
tobacco.  The  bare  hope  of  getting  a  plug  of  the 
weed  or  a  bottle  of  the  fire-water  would  keep 
them  on  the  beach,  I  believe,  till  they  had  well 
nigh  perished  from  exposure. 

Captain  Congo  returned  to  the  camp  this  even- 
ing looking  downcast  and  disconcerted.  He  was 
on  board  the  Sappho  all  last  night  and  most  of 
to-day,  and  he  was  terribly  sea-sick.  He  appears 
gloomy  and  cross,  as  if  some  strange  thing  had 
happened  to  him  ;  he  complains  of  the  vessel  and 
all  on  board. 

Jan.  14.  The  rain  continued  to  fall  heavily  dur- 
ing the  night   and  for  some  time  this  mornine. 


l86  ADVLNTURLS  IN  FATAGOiYIA. 

This  has  been  much  the  severest  storm  we  have 
had  since  our  arrival  in  the  country,  and  it  has 
rendered  our  fragile  habitation  somewhat  uncom- 
fortable. We  saw  the  Sappho  beating  out  of 
•  the  bay  this  forenoon,  she  having  been  delayed 
two  days  through  my  invitation  to  the  captain 
and  owner  to  visit  our  lodge. 

Near  noon  Mr.  Arms  returned,  bringing  a  box 
of  raisins,  which  Mr.  Penny  urged  us  to  accept. 
On  his  arrival  he  told  me  that,  in  going  down  to 
the  beach  last  evening,  they  met  Congo  with  his 
train  returning  to  the  camp,  that  the  chief  seized 
Mr.  Penny's  horse  by  the  reins  in  great  anger, 
and  tlircatcned  to  take  it  from  under  him.  Mr. 
Penny  was  now  a  prisoner,  and  Congo  refused  to 
let  him  go  until  he  had  promised  to  return  the 
guanaco  robe  he  had  presented  him,  and  also  to 
give  him  a  number  of  articles  which  he  specified 
from  his  vessel.  The  late  independent  English 
merchant  was  now  fast  in  the  grip  of  a  Patagonian 
savage,  with  no  alternative  but  to  comply  with 
his  conditions. 

This  base  conduct  on  the  part  of  Congo  was 
occasioned  by  his  dissatisfaction  at  not  receiving 
as  liberal  a  supply  of  tobacco  as  he  wanted,  and 
which  he  expected   in   return   for  the  mantle  he 


SAIL   HO!  187 

had  presented  to  Mr.  Penny.  It  so  happened 
that  there  was  no  tobacco  in  the  cargo  of  the 
Sappho  except  in  the  form  of  cigars,  but  these, 
tliough  offered  freely,  would  not  satisfy  him.  He 
must  have  tobacco  in  phigs  or  the  return  of  the 
robe.  This  Mr.  Penny  promised  to  return  by  Mr. 
Arms,  together  with  various  other  articles  to 
please  the  chief.  This  arrangement  being  con- 
cluded, Congo  released  his  prisoner  to  go  on  his 
way.  But  his  wrath  had  been  much  inflamed,  for 
in  addition  to  his  failure  to  get  the  tobacco  he 
had  been  roughly  handled  by  the  Sappho  for 
twenty-four  hours.  It  was  pitch,  jerk,  plunge, 
roll,  all  night  long  and  nearly  all  day,  without 
regard  to  his  chiefship.  It  was  humiliating  to  his 
dignity  and  it  stirred  up  his  bile.  So  he  cursed 
the  bark,  captain,  crew,  and  all  the  English. 

As  we  had  several  good  mantles  in  our  tent, 
Mr.  Arms,  on  his  return  this  morning,  refused  to 
take  Mr.  Penny's  from  him,  promising  to  give 
Congo  one  of  ours  and  to  see  that  he  was  satisfied. 
This  he  attempted  to  do,  but  the  chief  was  dis- 
satisfied and  sullen,  and  no  explanation  would 
conciliate  his  feelings.  He  utterly  refused  to  take 
the  mantle  or  anything  else  as  an  equivalent,  and 
complained   of  the  schooner  as  ''  malo"  and  the 


1 88  ADVENTURJE^S  IN  PATAGONIA. 

English  as  "  liars."  Thus  Ave  were  in  trouble,  and 
darker  clouds  than  those  of  the  storm  seemed 
gathering  around  us. 

It  was  hard  to  make  the  savages  see  that  there 
was  no  lie  on  the  part  of  the  Englishman,  or  that 
we  were  not  accomplices  in  a  plot  to  deceive  and 
cajole  them. 

As  the  debate  went  on  the  Indians  came  out  of 
their  wigwams  in  numbers  and  became  noisy, 
some  taking  one  side  and  some  the  other.  At 
this  point  we  thought  it  prudent  to  retire  and  re- 
main silent,  committing  the  disposal  of  the  case 
into  the  hands  of  Him  who  restrains  the  wrath  of 
man.  We  had  done  all  we  could  to  explain,  to 
soothe,  and  to  satisfy,  and  we  quietly  awaited  the 
events  which  might  follow. 

The  Indians  had  a  long  and  noisy  debate,  and 
then  all  v.^as  still.  The  parties  had  retired  to  their 
lodges,  and  we  were  quiet  until  near  night.  Be- 
fore sundown  Congo  came  to  see  us  with  a  changed 
countenance.  His  feelings  were  much  softened, 
and  he  now  entered  into  a  familiar  and  pleasant 
conversation  as  aforetime,  and  finally  listened  to 
an  explanation  of  the  whole  matter  with  calmness, 
and  quietly  received  the  mantle  which  had  been 
offered  him. 


SAIL  HO! 


189 


As  his  temper  had  been  greatly  irritated  by  the 
rolHng  of  the  vessel  and  his  sickness,  we  told  him 
that  the  schooner  was  not  in  fault,  because  the 
water  made  her  roll.  He  replied,  "  Then  the  water 
is  malo."  "  No,"  we  rejoined,  "  the  water  cannot 
keep  still  because  the  wind  agitates  it."  "  Then," 
said  he,  "  the  wind  is  malo  ;"  and  here  the  matter 
rested. 

This  is  but  an  example  of  the  darkness  of  the 
savage  mind.  So  ignorant  and  so  infatuated  are 
these  savages  that,  as  we  have  been  told,  when 
the  wind  blows  strongly  from  the  wrong  direction 
they  will  take  swords  and  knives  and  go  out  to 
fight  it. 

Just  at  dark  our  friend  Louis  came  quietly  and 
cautioned  us  to  make  all  as  secure  as  possible,  to 
remove  our  effects  to  the  centre  of  the  tent  and 
watch  them,  as  he  said  he  had  heard  some  of  the 
Indians  "  hablao  malo" — talk  bad — and  say  they 
will  come  in  the  night,  cut  through  our  tent  with 
their  knives,  and  rob  us  of  our  goods.  This  he 
illustrated  by  earnest  gestures  and  by  drawing  his 
knife  down  the  canvas.  But  we  say  with  the 
Psalmist,  "  I  will  both  lay  me  down  in  peace  and 
sleep,  for  thou,  Lord,  only  makest  me  to  dwell  in 
safety." 


CHAPTER    X. 

CAMP    LIFE. 

yan,  15.  The  rain  continued  all  last  night  and 
till  late  this  morning,  v/hen  the  clouds  cleared 
away  and  the  sun  came  forth  to  cheer  us  again, 
but  the  wind  is  still  strong  and  piercing.  Mr. 
Arms  and  myself  are  indisposed,  so  that  we  have 
kept  our  tent  closed  and  have  done  little  during 
the  day.  This  may  be  occasioned  in  part  by  the 
excitement  arising  from  the  arrival  of  the  Sappho 
with  the  connected  events,  together  with  the 
drenching  storm  which  rendered  our  dwelling  wet 
and  uncomfortable.  All  is  quiet  again  and  we 
return  to  our  normal  Patagonian  life,  which,  for 
the  most  part,  is  monotonous. 

Jan.  16.  By  the  aid  of  Santa  Rio  we  have  en- 
deavored to  get  the  census  of  the  whole  Santa 
Cruz  tribe,  and  have,  as  we  suppose,  succeeded 
approximately.  He  makes  the  number  to  be 
about  700,  but  this  estimate  cannot  be  wholly  re- 
liable, owing  to  his   ignorance  and   our  want  of 


CAMP   LIFE. 


191 


ability  to  communicate  satisfactorily  with  him. 
We  think,  however,  that  the  number  will  not 
exceed  1000. 

The  tribe  on  the  northern  pampas  is  undoubt- 
edly much  larger,  while  it  is,  as  we  are  situated, 
utterly  impossible  for  us  to  estimate  the  Port 
Famine  tribe,  including  the  Fuegians  and  a  few 
miserable  Indians  scattered  along  the  western 
coast. 

We  perceive  an  ill  feeling  between  the  two 
large  clans  that  have  lately  met.  Captain  Congo 
says  that  Santa  Maria  is  "  much  malo,"  and  he 
labors  to  excite  our  prejudice  against  her.  And 
Maria  says  that  Congo  is  a  great  liar,  which  is 
undoubtedly  true  not  of  him  alone  but  of  most 
of  the  tribe  as  well.  These  mutual  jealousies  and 
envyings  between  the  leaders  of  the  clans  may 
lead  to  open  rupture  and  the  separation  of  the 
parties. 

As  among  all  the  races  of  men,  so  among  these 
dark-souled  savages,  envy  and  ambition  are  rul- 
ing passions.  Those  who  seem  to  hold  a  "  little 
brief  authority"  strive  hard  to  show  their  impor- 
tance and  to  persuade  all  around  them  to  acknowl- 
edge their  superiority. 

Congo  now  appears  to  be  an  artful  and  insinuat- 


192 


ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 


ing  flatterer,  and  his  influence  is  on  the  increase, 
while  that  of  Maria  is  waning.  Doubtless  this 
arises,  in  part  at  least,  from  the  fact  that  he  is 
young  and  vigorous  and  active,  with  a  fine  figure 
and  a  bold  bearing,  while,  on  the  other  hand,  Santa 
Maria  is  advanced  in  life,  of  less  fascinating  ad- 
dress, and  less  activity  and  prowess. 

As  for  the  multitude  of  the  Indians,  their  minds 
are  fickle  and  inconstant  as  the  winds,  and  he 
whom  their  capricious  dotage  exalts  to-day  may 
be  execrated  and  abandoned  to-morrow. 

I  went  to-day  to  a  tent  and  found  a  company 
playing  cards.  They  had  a  full  pack  of  Eng- 
lish cards  and  appeared  to  play  a  regular  game. 
This  diversion  was  introduced  among  them  by 
sailors  together  with  other  kinds  of  gambling. 
They  swear,  too  ;  and  we  often  hear  shocking  im- 
precations of  damnation  upon  the  head  of  some 
one.  The  first  English  sentence  which  I  heard 
one  of  these  savages  utter  was  an  oath,  and 
I  blush  for  my  country  and  for  the  Christian 
name  that  through  them  this  people  have,  first 
of  all,  been  taught  to  blaspheme  the  Christian's 
God. 

Jan.  17.  We  have  conversed  freely  of  late  about 
leaving  the  country  so  soon  as  a  suitable  oppor- 


CAMP  LIFE. 


193 


tunity  shall  offer.  The  object  for  which  we  came 
hither  has,  so  far  as  we  can  see,  been  accompHshed, 
and  should  the  Lord  open  the  way,  we  are  pre- 
pared to  return  and  report  to  the  Prudential  Com- 
mittee of  the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.  on  the  state  of  Pata- 
gonia, the  supposed  number,  character,  habits, 
and  modes  of  life  of  the  inhabitants,  and  whatever 
may  influence  the  determination  of  the  Board  as 
to  endeavoring  to  establish  a  Christian  mission  in 
this  country  or  the  contrary. 

Most  of  the  strong  Indians  went  off  this  morn- 
ing on  a  grand  hunt,  accompanied  as  usual  by 
many  women  and  children,  who  carry  the  small 
tents  and  take  care  of  the  game. 

We  went  out  to  see  the  process  of  weaving 
among  this  people.  We  saw  in  the  loom  a  piece 
designed  for  a  blanket,  and  the  weaver  plying  her 
trade.  The  loom  is  constructed  by  setting  two 
upright  posts  in  the  ground,  and  fastening  two 
horizontal  poles  on  these  posts,  one  above  the 
other,  at  a  distance  equal  to  the  intended  length 
of  the  blanket,  which  in  this  case  was  four  feet  and 
a  half.  To  these  poles  the  warp  is  tied  at  each 
end.  The  process  of  weaving  is  slow  and  tedious. 
The  weft  is  wound  on  a  smooth  pin  or  stick  for  a 
bobbin.    The  weaver  seats  herself  on  the  ground 


194 


ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 


in  front  of  the  loom,  and  with  another  stick 
separates  the  threads  of  the  warp  for  about  six 
inches,  and  then,  with  the  fiUing  tied  to  an  ostrich- 
quill  as  a  shuttle,  she  passes  it  through  the  opened 
space.  The  stick  is  then  drawn  out,  after  serving 
the  purpose  of  a  lathe,  and  the  warp  is  again 
separated  as  before.  This  process  is  continued 
until  the  blanket  is  completed,  which  is  not  until 
after  many  long  and  weary  days,  the  artisan  fin- 
ishing fewer  inches  in  a  day  than  a  hand-weaver 
would  yards  v/ith  the  modern  shuttle. 

But,  although  the  process  is  slow,  the  workman- 
ship is  marvellous.  Many  tints  and  a  great  vari- 
ety of  figures  are  wrought  into  the  texture. 
These  figures  are  often  tasteful,  and  show  much 
native  genius  in  the  operator.  Where  and  how 
did  these  savages  get  this  skill  and  taste  ?  The 
yarn  of  which  these  blankets  are  made  is  spun 
from  the  wool  of  the  guanaco.  The  fibre  is  long 
and  soft.  It  is  drawn  out  by  the  fingers,  and 
twisted  by  means  of  a  reed  held  in  one  hand.  It 
is  colored  with  various  kinds  of  ochre  procured 
back  in  the  country.  With  these  ochres  the 
squaws  also  paint  the  guanaco  robes,  often  with 
tasteful  figures. 

Queen  Maria  made  us  a  long  visit  to-day.     We 


t 


CAJ/P  LIFE. 


195 


feel  grieved  at  the  quarrel  between  her  and  Cap- 
tain Congo.  The  enmity  still  continues.  When 
she  left,  she  went  into  a  tent  quite  near  us,  and 
we  soon  heard  loud  talk  there  among  the  women. 
This  attracted  attention,  and  the  women  came 
rushing  in  from  all  quarters  of  the  camp,  either 
to  look  and  listen  or  to  take  part  in  the  strife. 
Loud  and  angry  words  were  uttered,  which  were 
soon  followed  by  the  tug  of  war,  if  we  might 
judge  from  the  reeling  and  rocking  of  the  tent. 
As  the  rear  of  the  wigwam  was  towards  us,  and 
as  we  did  not  feel  disposed  to  witness  the  spec- 
tacle, we  do  not  know  who  were  the  combatants 
or  what  was  the  occasion  of  the  quarrel. 

Three  pleasant-looking  boys  have  for  several 
days  supplied  us  with  two  kinds  of  dry  mountain 
berries,  which  they  call  "  yanker"  and  "porton." 
With  these  little  presents  they  plead  eloquently, 
and  almost  irresistibly,  to  be  admitted  into  our 
tent,  a  privilege  which  we  long  to  grant  them 
freely,  but  are  often  unable  to  on  account  of 
the  great  crowd  of  the  older  folks  who  press  in 
upon  us.  We  feel  sorrowful  to  think  that  these 
bright-eyed  and  smiling  boys  and  girls  must  grow 
up  to  manhood  and  womanhood  in  darkness.  In 
darkness  they  live,  and  in  darkness  they  must  die. 


196  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

Jan.  18.  The  great  hunting-party  returned  late 
last  evening  with  much  game,  and  most  of  the 
night  was  spent  in  roasting,  eating,  singing,  shout- 
ing, and  carousal. 

We  retired  late,  and  were  just  falling  into  sleep 
when  a  large  body  of  the  savages  came  like  a 
rushing  tempest,  with  what  seemed  like  a  war- 
whoop,  and  surrounded  our  tent  in  a  close  circle. 
They  stood  silent  for  a  moment,  and  then  began 
to  talk  in  an  undertone  around  the  circle.  The 
moon  was  then  in  her  first  quarter,  and  it  was  so 
light  that  we  could  see  the  circle  and  the  forms  of 
the  savages.  We  arose  and  looked  out  of  our 
tent-door  through  a  crevice,  watching  them  from 
within,  while  they  could  not  see  us.  Their  low 
talk,  sometimes  sinking  to  a  whisper,  continued 
ten  or  fifteen  minutes,  and  then  suddenly,  with 
another  whoop,  the  ring  broke  and  they  all  scat- 
tered. 

What  their  object  was  in  paying  us  this  noc- 
turnal visit  wc  cannot  now  understand — whether 
in  their  glee  to  honor  us  in  a  savage  serenade,  or 
to  kill  and  rob  us  in  their  savage  cupidity,  we  know 
not. 

The  movement  was  mysterious,  and  at  first 
startling,    but    it   passed   off    quictl)',  and   we   re- 


CAMP  LIFE. 


197 


turned  to  our  pallet  and  slept  peacefully  until 
morning. 

The  Indians  have  kept  us  busy  as  artisans  much 
of  the  day,  in  making  spurs  and  hodlcs  for  them 
and  in  sharpening  their  knives, 

Jan.  19.  This  has  been  one  of  our  most  quiet 
Sundays.  Our  tent  has  been  left  partly  open,  so 
that  the  natives  could  look  in  upon  us,  but  we 
have  admitted  none  of  them  within,  not  feeling 
able  to  converse  with  them  intelligently  on  the 
all-important  theme,  and  choosing  therefore  to 
attend  to  our  devotions  in  a  quiet  manner. 

Several  of  the  Indians  brought  us  little  jobs  of 
work,  but  we  satisfied  them  by  telling  them  that 
we  would  attend  to  their  requests  to-morrow. 
Some  have  been  engaged  in  hunting,  some  in 
gormandizing  and  sleeping,  and  some  in  gam- 
bling. They  play  for  wagers,  and  the  other  day 
I  saw  a  good  pair  of  shoes  staked  against  three 
plugs  of  tobacco.  The  Indian  doctor  has  been 
engaged  most  of  the  day  in  different  parts  of  the 
c  imp,  moaning,  screaming,  blowing,  shaking  his 
r  ittlc-bags,  and  going  through  all  his  incantations. 
Much  confidence  seems  to  be  placed  in  his  round 
of  ceremonies ;  for  he  is  employed  by  all  who  are 
ill,  from  the  chief  captain   down  to   the  meanest 


igS  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

individual.  They  not  only  believe  that  his  rat- 
tling incantations  can  drive  possession  from  the 
human  body,  but  also  from  dumb  animals.  He 
was  engaged  to-day  at  the  tent  of  Congo  in 
exorcising  evil  spirits  from  a  sick  horse.  The 
usual  process  was  gone  through  with,  excepting 
the  rattles,  which  were  omitted,  doubtless  wisely, 
as  they  might  have  been  received  with  less  pa- 
tience by  a  dumb  beast  than  by  a  savage. 

Every  day  gives  us  fresh  illustrations  of  the  dark" 
character  of  this  people,  but  our  pain  is  that  we  can- 
not appeal  to  their  understanding  and  their  hearts. 

Jan.  20.  Several  of  the  clan  have  taken  their 
all  to-day  and  gone  northward,  and  Captain  Congo 
informs  us  that  he  and  most  of  the  camp  will  re- 
move to-morrow,  a  small  party  only  remaining  on 
the  ground.  They  invite  us  to  go  with  them, 
but  as  we  have  decided  to  leave  the  country  by 
the  first  opportunity  we  choose  to  remain  with 
our  steadfast  friend  Louis  and  a  hundred,  more 
or  less,  of  the  Indians,  in  order  to  be  within  reach 
of  the  Strait  should  a  vessel  come  that  might  take 
us  off.  Should  we  now  retire  far  into  the  interior 
there  would  be  no  hope  of  our  getting  away, 
however  many  vessels  might  pass  through  the 
Strait.     It  affords  us  pleasure  to  find  that  Louis 


CAMP  LIFE.  199 

and  a  small  party  will  remain  to  feed  and  protect 
us,  while  the  great  body  of  the  tribe  go  north. 
In  fact  we  had  nearly  resolved  to  stay,  even  if  left 
alone  and  with  means  of  subsistence  only  for  a 
short  period,  as  the  object  of  our  visit  to  Pata- 
gonia is  accomplished,  and  we  wait  only  for  some 
conveyance  to  another  field  if  it  be  the  will  of  the 
Lord. 

Jan.  21.  Our  sleep  was  interrupted  again  last 
night  by  the  tremendous  racket  of  the  old  doctor, 
who  continued  his  medicinal  noises  until  near 
morning,  breaking  out,  from  time  to  time,  in 
strains  of  unusual  energy  and  fierceness,  as  if  he 
had  really  got  the  devil  by  his  horns  at  last. 

Early  this  morning  the  Indians  prepared  to  de- 
camp. Captain  Congo  bade  us  good-by  and  led 
off  a  host  on  horseback.  Queen  Maria  and  Louis 
remain,  and  we  are  told  that  only  eighteen  horses 
arc  left  to  our  party. 

An  Indian  whom  we  call  Captain  John  handed 
us  an  English  Testament  to-day.  It  is  probably 
one  left  behind  by  one  of  the  American  sailors, 
who  considered  it  a  burden.  Probably  there  are 
few  dark  places  of  the  earth  where  copies  of  the 
sacred  Scriptures  are  not  scattered,  but  where 
they  shed  no  light  for  want  of  readers. 


200  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA, 

We  had  a  conversation  with  Santa  Maria  on 
the  subject  of  a  Christian  mission  here.  She 
seemed  pleased  with  the  idea  of  Americans  com- 
ing to  hve  with  the  Indians  to  teach  them  good 
things,  but  did  not  favor  their  building  a  house 
and  remaining  stationary.  She  thought  they 
should  travel  over  the  country  with  the  clans  and 
thus  instruct  them. 

In  the  afternoon  a  thunder-shower  swept  over 
us.  This  is  the  first  we  have  seen  in  this  land. 
We  have  heard  light  and  distant  thunder  before, 
but  have  had  nothing  like  a  regular  shower  until 
to-day. 

The  thunder  caused  a  great  barking  and 
howling  among  the  dogs,  but  there  was  no 
unusual  excitement  among  the  Indians.  After 
the  shower  the  savages  killed  a  horse  and  dis- 
tributed it  among  all  the  tents.  All  then  fell  to 
roasting  and  eating,  attended  with  much  apparent 
joy  and  hilarity.  Was  it  a  marriage-feast,  or  was 
it  an  offering  to  the  "unknown  God  "  of  thunder? 
We  could  not  know. 

JiDi.  22.  Several  more  families  have  left  us  to- 
day, and  followed  the  party  that  went  north  yes- 
terday. 

Those  who  remain  have  spent  the  day  in  feats 


CAMP  LIFE.  20 1 

of  gormandizing  beyond  anything  we  have  before 
seen.  Large  pots  have  been  kept  on  fires  from 
morning  till  night,  and  the  Indians  have  gathered 
around  them,  feeding  the  fires  with  fagots  and  dry 
grass,  and  constantly  consuming  and  renewing 
the  contents.  Scarcely  a  piece  of  the  horse 
slaughtered  yesterday  remains  in  the  camp. 

Intelligence  was  brought  us  to-day  from  the 
Lorice  party.  This  is  the  first  news  we  have  had 
from  them  since  they  left  us.  The  report  says 
that  two  of  their  number  have  died  since  they 
parted  from  us,  and  that  two  others  are  sick. 

We  were  also  informed  that  the  three  sailors 
who  left  Maria's  clan  some  time  ago — viz.,  an 
Englishman,  an  American,  and  a  Portuguese — 
are  with  this  clan.  As  Captain  Congo  has  left, 
and  as  our  party  is  now  small,  we  are  told  that 
Lorice  and  his  Jezebel  will  soon  pay  us  another 
visit.  It  is  said  that  they  are  not  far  off.  Well, 
let  them  come  if  they  must,  but  we  have  no  de- 
sire to  see  that  Amazon  again. 

We  had  another  thunder-storm  this  afternoon, 
with  a  fall  of  large  hailstones. 

Jan.  23.  The  Indians  returned  from  their  hunt 
to-day  with  very  little  game.  So  the  gluttony  of 
yesterday  is   succeeded    by  fasting   and    hunger. 


202  ADVENTURES  EV  PATAGONEl. 

Checks,  balances,  and  compensations  seem  to  act 
in  savage  as  in  civilized  lands. 

About  noon  we  were  told  that  a  vessel  was 
coming  up  from  the  west,  and  shortly  after  a 
sturdy  Indian  came  to  our  tent  bringing  a  pale 
and  sick  white  man  behind  him.  This  young  m.an 
introduced  himself  as  William  Marshall  Thorn- 
ham,  of  Hull,  England,  aged  twenty  years.  He 
said  that  he  ran  away  from  his  vessel  with  two 
other  sailors  about  a  year  ago,  and  that  they  all 
vowed  to  keep  together  and  never  forsake  one  an- 
other, come  what  would.  Since  then  they  had 
roamed  with  tlie  Indians  continually,  suffering 
hunger  and  hardships  almost  unto  death,  being 
obliged  to  tramp  on  foot,  without  shoes,  often 
over  dry  stubble,  sometimes  among  flinty  pebbles, 
then  over  sand-hills,  and  again  among  thistles. 
His  feet  were  badly  cracked,  lacerated,  and  swol- 
len ;  his  hair  was  dishevelled,  his  face  begrimed, 
and  he  had  no  clothing  except  an  old,  tattered, 
dirty,  and  cast-off  skin  mantle.  A  few  weeks  ago, 
coming  in  the  proximity  of  the  Strait,  he  and  his 
two  companions,  in  a  fit  of  desperation,  ran  away 
from  the  clan  with  which  they  had  travelled. 
They  then  wandered  along  the  shore  of  the  Strait, 
living  upon  mussels  and  watching  for  a  vessel   in 


CAMP   LIFE 


203 


which  to  get  away.  Soon  afterward,  falling  in 
with  a  clan  of  the  Port  Famine  tribe,  they  were 
made  captives  and  treated  with  cruelty.  William 
stated  that  if  they  attempted  to  get  away  from 
the  clan,  they  were  threatened  with  death  by  hav- 
ing arrows  pointed  at  them.  At  length  a  vessel 
had  anchored  near  them,  and  his  two  companions 
by  a  dexterous  effort  had  eluded  their  captors  and 
succeeded  in  getting  on  board  the  schooner,  leav- 
ing him  in  his  enfeebled  state  to  the  mercy  of  the 
savages. 

The  exasperated  Indians  then  kept  up  a  sharper 
watch  over  him  than  before.  If  he  went  a  little 
distance  from  the  camp,  they  would  suspect  him 
of  designing  to  run  away;  when  they  would  bring 
him  back,  and  pass  their  knives  across  his  throat 
as  a  sign  of  his  fate  should  he  attempt  to  get 
away.  They  next  stopped  his  rations  in  order  to 
weaken  him  so  that  he  could  not  run,  and  he  told 
us  that  for  four  days  he  had  eaten  nothing  except 
a  few  watery  and  insipid  berries  which  he  found 
near  the  camp.  Once  or  twice  when  Indians 
were  all  out  of  the  tent,  and  when  they  supposed 
him  to  be  asleep,  he  crawled  around  the  tent  and 
found  a  small  piece  of  meat  which  he  attempted 
to  eat,  but  before   he  had   swallowed   a  mite  in 


2  ©4 


ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 


came  a  savage  and  tore  it  from  his  teeth,  and  with 
a  dark  frown  drew  his  knife  across  his  throat. 
Soon  a  painful  bowel  complaint  came  on,  and  the 
poor  man  was  unable  to  walk,  and  came  near 
death.  In  this  state  some  of  our  tribe  found  him, 
took  him  from  the  Yammerschooners  (beggars),  as 
this -mongrel  tribe  is  called  by  sailors,  and  brought 
him  on  horseback  to  us. 

His  appearance  is  truly  distressing:  emaciated 
and  heart-broken,  forsaken  by  the  companions 
who  had  vowed  to  stand  by  him  in  weal  or  woe, 
to  live  or  die  with  him,  he  is  an  object  to  excite 
our  deepest  sympathy  and  compassion.  Even 
our  Indians  seem  to  pity  him,  and  they  delivered 
him  up  to  us  without  remonstrance.  We  immedi- 
ately took  him  into  our  tent,  prepared  the  best 
we  had — warm  broth — for  him,  then  bathed  him  in 
warm  water,  and  dressed  him  in  a  suit  of  clothes, 
while  Mr.  Arms  took  him  as  his  patient,  adminis- 
tering carefully  to  his  case.  We  endeavor  to  cheer 
him  by  assuring  him  that  we  will  do  all  in  our 
power  to  help  him  and  to  get  him  out  of  the 
country,  should  we  find  an  opportunity  to  go  our- 
selves. "'^ 

He  says  it  is  true  that  a  schooner  named  the 
Macdonald,  Captain  Clift,  brother  to  the  captain 


CAMP  LIFE. 


205 


William  Clift  with  whom  we  came  out  in  the 
Mary  Jane,  anchored  far  west  of  Gregory's  Bay ; 
that  his  companions  got  on  board  of  her,  and  that 
he  had  heard  that  Captain  Clift  would  anchor  in 
Gregory's  Bay  and  take  us  off.  This  was  joyful 
tidings,  and  we  determined  at  once  that  ]\Ir.  Arms 
should  go  down  to  the  bay  and  learn  what  were 
the  facts  in  the  case.  Accordingly  he  went,  but 
returned  with  the  report  that  no  sail  was  in  sight. 
This  was  a  damper;  for  our  hopes  had  been  raised 
to  a  high  point,  and  the  disappointment  was  not 
small.  William  felt  it  even  more  keenly  than  we 
did,  for  he  had  a  desperate  desire  to  get  out  of 
the  reach  of  those  by  whom  he  had  suffered  so 
much,  and  now  the  poor  youth  almost  sank  in 
despair. 

But  we  are  more  accustomed  to  these  alterna- 
tions of  hope  and  disappointment.  We  are  in 
the  Lord's  hands,  and  there  is  nothing  better  than 
to  wait  his  will. 

Mr.  Arms  said  that  on  reaching  the  bay  he 
found  the  wind  and  current  favorable,  and  there 
was  no  doubt  that  Captain  Clift  had  gone  on  with- 
out stopping  for  us. 

Young  Thornham  tells  us  that  he  left  parents 
in  Hull,  and  that   he  has  now  been  absent   from 


2o6  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

England  four  years,  having  left  at  the  age  of  six- 
teen. 

He  says  he  was  persuaded  to  run  away  in  Pata- 
gonia by  older  companions  who  told  him  that  he 
would  have  plenty  to  eat,  a  good  horse  to  ride, 
no  work  to  do,  and  every  indulgence  the  heart  de- 
sired ;  that  he  would,  in  fact,  be  a  chief,  and  live  as 
he  pleased.  Thus  the  poor  fellow  was  beguiled  to 
his  cost,  and  his  experience  has  been  bitter.  He 
seems  a  pleasant  and  amiable  young  man.  He  is 
modest  and  respectful  and  uses  no  profane  or  vile 
language.  The  contrast  between  him  and  other 
sailors  whom  we  have  met  here  is  very  striking. 

Jan.  24.  Several  of  our  Indians  went  down  to 
the  shore  early  this  morning  to  see  if  the  schooner 
reported  yesterday  had  not  come  in  during  the 
night,  but  they  returned  with  the  word  that  she 
had  gone  on  without  anchoring. 

Yesterday  the  Indians  said  that  the  whole  camp 
would  go  down  to  the  Strait  to-day,  and  their 
horses  were  brought  up  this  morning  for  the  pur- 
pose ;  but  on  hearing  that  the  vessel  had  gone  on 
they  seemed  disappointed  and  displeased,  and 
determined  to  stay  at  home.  So  all  was  quiet 
again,  and  wc  retired  to  our  little  tabernacle  to 
read  and  write.     While  thus  busied  in   our  work 


CAMP  LIFE. 


207 


the  Indians  had,  unconsciously  to  us,  taken  their 
horses  and  moved  off  stealthily.  Some  time  in 
the  afternoon  we  were  surprised,  on  looking  out 
over  the  camp,  to  find  nearly  all  of  the  vigorous 
men  and  women  gone,  including  our  trust}"  friend 
Louis.  On  inquiring  what  this  meant,  we  were 
told  that  the  Indians  had  gone  off  on  a  hunt. 
This  seemed  incredible,  especially  as  they  always 
told  us  when  they  were  going  hunting.  Looking 
all  around,  we  noticed  a  few  of  the  last  stragglers 
of  the  camp  moving  towards  the  sea,  but  no  one 
going  north  in  the  direction  of  the  hunting- 
grounds.  As  we  shook  our  heads  and  looked 
incredulous,  the  savages  then  said  that  their  com- 
panions had  not  gone  for  guanacos,  but  that  they 
had  seen  a  drove  of  ostriches  among  the  sand- 
dunes,  lying  between  us  and  the  Strait,  and  had 
gone  in  pursuit  of  them.  Neither  could  we  credit 
this ;  and  as  their  movements  and  language  in- 
dicated duplicity,  we  began  to  suspect  that  they 
had  seen  a  vessel,  and  knowing,  for  we  had  told 
them,  our  intention  to  leave  them  by  the  first  op- 
portunity, they  had  slipped  off  thus  slyly,  intend- 
ing to  deceive  us  and  keep  us  with  them. 

While  we  were  thus  conversing  and  looking  to- 
wards the  Strait — not,  however,  expecting  to  see  a 


2o8  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

vessel,  as  we  could  not  see  the  water  without  as- 
cending a  hill  in  our  rear — all  at  once  I  descried 
the  topgallant  sail  of  a  schooner  through  a  small 
notch  in  the  table-land  lying  between  us  and  the 
sea  !  The  riddle  was  now  solved  ;  our  suspicions 
were  true.  The  troop  had  gone  off  secretly,  hav- 
ing seen,  the  vessel,  not  intending  to  let  us  know 
it  or  to  give  us  a  chance  to  reach  the  shore. 

We  asked  at  once  for  a  horse,  but  for  the  first 
time  were  met  with  a  flat  denial.  One  and  an- 
other replied  to  our  repeated  calls,  '■'■  No  lios yoii^ 
But  we  were  determined  one  of  us  should  go 
down  even  if  he  went  on  foot.  At  last  an  old 
woman,  Avho  had  always  been  kind  to  us,  brought 
us  her  horse,  for  which  we  had  promised  a  lib- 
eral compensation.  We  had  never  before  been 
obliged  to  hire  a  horse.  Mr.  Arms  mounted  and 
set  off,  while  I  remained  to  make  any  preparations 
that  could  be  made  in  anticipation  of  leaving.  In 
the  evening  he  returned  with  the  report  that  the 
schooner  Antarctic,  of  New  York,  Captain  James 
S.  Nash,  of  Rhode  Island,  had  anchored  in  the 
bay,  and  that  the  captain  would  take  us  on  board 
to-morrow,  requesting  us  to  be  down  at  the  sea 
at  9  A.M. 

Mr.  Arms  found  Louis  on  the  shore  ;   he  had 


CAMP  LIFE. 


209 


used  the  same  deceit  as  the  other  Indians.  By 
urging,  however,  he  persuaded  hiai  and  a  few 
others  to  return  to  the  camp  with  him,  and  to 
furnish  us  with  horses  in  the  morning. 

Things,  however,  still  look  dark  and  suspicious; 
the  faces  of  some  whom  we  have  esteemed  our 
most  tried  friends  are  changed,  and  we  are  not 
without  apprehensions  that  trials  await  us  before 
we  can  get  out  of  the  country. 

William  Thornham  is  exceedingly  anxious  lest 
we  shall  get  off  and  leave  him.  He  begs  us  not 
to  forsake  him,  as  this  would  blot  out  his  last  ray 
of  hope  for  escaping  from  this  terrible  land,  and 
leave  him  to  die  without  a  friend.  We  assure 
him  we  will  not  leave  him  behind  if  it  is  possible 
for  us  to  take  him  with  us,  and  that  we  will  do  for 
him  as  for  ourselves. 


CHAPTER   XI. 

FAREWELL    TO    PATAGONIA. 

yan  25.  We  spent  most  of  last  night  In  over- 
hauling our  goods,  deciding  what  to  take  with  us 
and  what  to  give  to  the  Indians,  and  in  packing. 
A  httle  before  day  we  lay  down  and  obtained 
about  an  hour  s  rest.  We  rose  at  daylight,  went 
to  Louis's  tent  and  aroused  him  to  get  up  the 
horses.  He  was  sleeping  soundly,  but  on  awak- 
ing him  he  grunted,  rolled  over,  and  told  his 
young  brother  to  go  for  them.  We  then  re-  ~ 
turned  to  our  tent,  offered  our  morning  prayers, 
ate  a  hasty  breakfast,  saw  our  luggage  all  in 
readiness,  and  assisted  William  in  his  prepara- 
tions. But  up  to  this  time  not  a  horse  or  an 
Indian  was  to  be  seen.  Again  we  went  to  Louis, 
and  found  him  fast  asleep.  Wc  aroused  and 
urged  him  to  help  us,  and  again  he  told  his 
brother  to  go  for  the  horses.  Then  again  we 
waited,  growing  almost  desperate  at  the  delay. 
After  two  hours  we  saw  a  man  leading  up  several 


FAREWELL    TO  PATAGOXLA.  211 

horses,  and  our  hopes  revived.  One  of  these  was 
tied  near  Louis's  tent,  and  we  had  our  luggage 
brought  out  to  be  packed  ;  but  when  our  backs 
were  turned  the  hitched  horse  was  let  loose,  and 
in  a  trice  all  were  out  of  sight.  The  snare  was 
now  too  visible.  The  savages  meant  to  keep  us, 
and  they  were  thus  trying  to  consume  time  until 
the  vessel  should  sail  without  us. 

We  now  appealed  to  their  cupidity.  We  told 
them  we  had  many  things  to  leave,  saddles, 
bridles,  axes,  tools,  clothes,  etc.,  and  that  those 
who  befriended  us  should  have  a  liberal  share. 
This  proved  the  motor;  these  were  arguments 
not  to  be  withstood,  and  away  went  squaws,  boys, 
and  girls,  and  in  half  an  hour  horses  were  galloped 
into  the  camp  in  excess  of  our  wants. 

Louis  brightened  up  and  worked  with  a  will ; 
all  smiled  and  flattered,  and  one  and  another  said, 
^^  My  Jios  yoiiy  How  vividly  the  words  of  Solo-, 
mon  came  to  our  memory,  "  Every  one  is  a  friend 
to  him  that  giveth  gifts"  ! 

The  animals  were  soon  laden  ;  a  horse  was  pro- 
vided for  the  poor  sufferer,  William,  and  all  things 
were  ready  for  a  last  trip  to  the  waters  of  Ma- 
gellan. 

We  bade  the  Indians  and  the  camp   farewell, 


212  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

and  with  no  little  emotion  we  said  good-by  to  the 
old  chief  and  his  wife,  whose  kindness  and  sym- 
pathy we  had  enjoyed  during  our  whole  stay  in 
Patagonia.  On  waving  a  final  adieu  to  the  aged 
couple,  the  old  mother  set  up  a  mournful  wailing 
in  such  plaintive  strains  as  to  touch  our  hearts. 
This  she  kept  up  until  her  form  faded  from  our 
sight  and  the  lament  died  upon  our  ears.  We 
shall  never  forget  the  picture  of  sorrow  presented 
by  this  mourning  pair  as  we  turned  our  backs 
upon  them.     We  left  no  truer  friends  behind  us. 

Louis  and  a  few  other  Indians  went  with  us  to 
the  shore.  Most  of  the  clan  spent  the  night  on 
the  beach. 

It  was  now  near  noon,  and  we  felt  anxious  lest 
the  captain,  tired  of  waiting  for  us,  should  have 
gone  upon  his  way  ;  but  when  we  were  within 
about  six  miles  of  the  shore  we  were  surprised  to 
meet  Joseph  Nash,  the  captain's  brother  and  the 
first  mate  of  the  Antarctic,  and  Charles  Palmer,  who 
came  out  with  us  on  the  Mary  Jane.  Mr.  Nash 
informed  us  that  the  captain  had  waited  anxious- 
ly for  us,  and  fearing  that  v/e  were  in  trouble 
through  the  treachery  of  the  savages  he  had  sent 
them  to  reconnoitre  ;  that  Queen  Maria  and  sev- 
eral other  Indians  were  then  on  board  the  Ant- 


FAREWELL    TO  PATAGONIA. 


213 


arctic,  and  that,  as  the  captain  and  officers  believed 
i\  plot  was  laid  by  the  Indians  on  shore  to  prevent 
us  from  getting  off,  Maria  and  her  attendants 
v.'ould  be  detained  on  board  as  hostages  until  we 
and  our  effects  were  safely  shipped. 

Furthermore,  he  requested  us  to  deploy  to  the 
right  and  strike  the  beach  some  half  a  mile  from 
the  camp;  meanwhile  a  man  at  the  mast-head 
would  watch  for  our  arrival,  and  at  a  signal  he 
would  despatch  a  swift  boat  for  us,  while  at  the 
same  time  he  would  send  another  direct  to  the 
Indian  camp  as  a  decoy  ;  that  the  boat  for  us 
would  strike  the  beach  just  at  the  time  of  our 
arrival;  that  we  should  jump  aboard  at  once,  and 
thus  elude  the  Indians. 

This  was  done  with  complete  success,  and  with 
the  skill  of  a  military  or  naval  tactician.  The  few 
Indians  who  were  with  us  made  no  effort  to  detain 
us,  and  those  at  a  distance  made  no  efforts  to 
reach  us,  so  that  their  plot,  if  they  had  one,  was 
a  failure.  Louis  was  permitted,  on  account  of  his 
great  desire,  to  go  on  board  with  us. 

When  Captain  Nash  saw  that  we  were  safely 
embarked  in  the  boat,  he  sent  off  another  to  con- 
vey Maria  and  her  party  to  the  shore.  As  this 
boat  passed  us,  a  sav^age  held  up  a  religious  tract 


2  14  ADVENTURES  EV  FATAGONE-i. 

and  called  out  to  us  to  look  on  while  he  dashed 
it  into  the  sea. 

This  token  of  contempt  was  at  once  imitated 
by  the  Queen,  who  raised  a  bundle  of  tracts  in 
the  air  and  in  a  spiteful  manner  threw  them  over- 
board, exclaiming  "  Malo  !  malo  !"  The  captain 
afterwards  told  us  that  these  tracts  were  stolen 
from  his  cabin,  that  Maria  said  we  had  a  chest 
full  of  them,  that  they  were  very  bad,  and  that 
by  means  of  our  paper  we  prevented  them  from 
getting  rum  and  tobacco ;  that  she  had  also  com- 
plained of  Mr.  Arms  that  he  was  very  bad,  and 
had  declared  that  as  soon  as  she  got  on  shore  she 
would  tear  up  the  papers  before  his  eyes,  and  then 
stab  him  with  a  knife  which  she  drew  from  her 
bosom  and  showed  him.  These  threats  had  led 
the  captain  to  take  the  precaution  of  sending  her 
and  her  people  on  shore  Avhile  wc  were  coming 
off,  that  thus  a  meeting  might  be  avoided,  as 
he  had  no  doubt  she  would  execute  her  threat 
should  she  fmd  an  opportunity.  It  might  have 
happened  so  had  we  met  the  old  Queen,  but  as 
we  were  blissfully  ignorant  of  this  danger  until 
safe  on  board,  wc  were  saved  from  fear  and  anx- 
iety. Wc  are  under  great  obligations  to  Captain 
Nash,  who   has  treated  us  with  much    kindness, 


FAREWELL    TO  PATAGONIA. 


215 


and  who  has  shown  firmness  and  discretion  in 
getting  us  on  board. 

He  told  us  that  the  old  Queen  showed  him  great 
ingratitude ;  for  after  supplying  her  and  others 
with  large  quantities  of  bread  and  other  eatables 
she  told  him  he  was  "  much  malo"  for  taking  us 
away,  and  that  if  he  went  on  shore  he  would  be 
stabbed.  He  tells  us  that  our  influence  in  en- 
deavoring to  suppress  the  vices  of  these  natives 
is  entirely  counteracted  by  the  sailors  who  stop 
here,  and  who  tell  the  Indians  that  Ave  came 
among  them  only  to  prevent  them  from  getting 
such  things  as  they  want  from  ships  ;  that  we  are 
bad  men,  and  that  they  even  advise  them  to  de- 
stroy us.  He  assured  us  that  he  had  men  on 
board  his  own  vessel  who  would  do  all  this,  and 
that  one  of  them  had  been  heard  to  tell  the  In- 
dians to  knock  us  down  and  throw  us  orerboard. 

We  have  little  doubt  that  these  are  facts,  as  we 
have  always  found  the  savages  worse  after  a  visit 
to  vessels. 

Captain  Nash  then  informed  us  that  in  coming 
through  the  Strait  from  the  West  he  had  spoken 
the  Peruvian  and  the  schooner  on  which  I 
had  slept  about  two  weeks  ago.  The  captain  of 
that  schooner  had  told   him   of  my  visit   to  his 


2i6  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

vessel,  and  had  complained  bitterly  of  the  sav- 
ages, stating  that  after  I  had  left  him  in  the 
morning,  he  sent  his  boat  to  the  shore  to  trade, 
when  the  Indians  seized  the  boat  and  his  second 
ofificer,  took  them  both  up  high  and  dry  upon  the 
banks,  and  then  demanded  a  barrel  of  bread  and 
five  hundred  plugs  of  tobacco  as  a  ransom.  All 
this  he  was  compelled  to  give  before  he  could 
recover  his  mate  and  boat.  This,  then,  explains 
the  riddle  of  the  empty  barrel  on  which  the  In- 
dian drummed — the  supply  of  bread  shared  so 
liberally  with  us,  and  the  abundance  of  tobacco 
which  we  had  observed  at  that  time  in  the  camp, 
and  on  which  some  of  the  people  got  deadly 
drunk,  turning  pale  and  groaning  like  dying  men  ; 
for  it  was  their  custom  in  smoking  to  draw  their 
mantles  over  their  heads  and  inhale  the  fumes 
until  completely  intoxicated. 

Captain  Nash  had  also  met  the  English  schoo- 
ner Sappho,  near  the  western  entrance  of  the 
Strait,  and  Captain  Mel  ward  and  Mr.  Penny  had 
told  him  of  our  situation,  and  of  our  desire  to 
find  a  passage  to  the  United  States.  Then,  too, 
he  had  "gammed,"  or  visited,  on  board  the  Mary 
Jane,  and,  by  request,  had  taken  Charles  Palmer, 
the  suffering  sailor,  to  return  him  to  New  York. 


FAREWELL    TO  PATAGONIA.  217 

Charles  had  told  him  much  of  us,  and  he  had 
determined  to  anchor  at  Gregory's  Bay  and  take 
us  off  if  we  were  near  at  hand.  No  wonder,  then, 
that  we  were  surprised  when  he  told  Mr.  Arms, 
on  first  meeting  him,  "  I  have  come  for  you." 
In  this  whole  chain  of  facts  how  clearly  w^e  see 
"  the  good  hand  of  our  God  upon  us." 

There  being  a  strong  current  against  us  and  no 
wind,  the  Antarctic  remained  at  anchor  for  sev- 
eral hours  after  we  came  on  board,  during  which 
time  numbers  of  the  savages  were  brought  off  in 
the  schooner's  boats  to  sell  guanaco  robes,  fresh 
meat,  and  other  articles.  They  appeared  glad  to 
see  us  and  behaved  quietly,  and  when  they  left 
the  vessel  some  inquired  how  soon  we  would 
return. 

It  is  evident  that  most  of  the  chiefs  and  the 
great  body  of  the  clan  have  no  little  respect  for 
us,  but  they  are  capricious,  jealous,  selfish,  and 
superstitious,  so  that  their  friendship  is  unreliable, 
and  their  good-will  to-day  may  turn  to  anger  to- 
morrow. One  thing  is  clear:  that  their  selfishness 
and  cupidity  lead  them  to  cling  to  us,  for  they 
have  not  failed  to  see  that  we  have  been  of  ser- 
vice to  them  in  many  ways,  and  they  were  hoping 
for  more  help  and  more  gifts. 


2 1 8  AD  VENTURES  IN  PA  TA  GO  V/A. 

Louis  is  on  deck  and  keeps  near  us  ;  he  seems 
to  mourn  our  departure,  for  he  looks  sad.  And 
we  feel  sad  at  leaving  him ;  for  in  spite  of  his  late 
apparent  guile,  we  must  ever  remember  his  great 
fidelity  to  us  during  our  sojourn  of  seventy-two 
days  in  this  land  of  darkness.  Under  God  we 
look  upon  him  as  our  great  protector,  and  he 
seems  to  us  as  one  sent  of  the  Lord  to  meet  and 
receive  us  on  our  first  entrance  into  Patagonia, 
and  but  for  his  constant  and  watchful  care  we 
cannot  now  see  how  our  lives  would  have  been 
made  tolerable  even  if  spared  to  this  day.  And 
now  as  we  are  about  to  bid  him  a  final  farewell 
his  first  love  seems  to  revive,  and  he  clings  to  us 
like  a  brother  and  really  appears  anxious  to  go 
with  us. 

At  4^  P.M.  a  light  breeze  began  to  fan  the  sur- 
face of  the  water,  and  the  captain  ordered  a  boat 
to  land  all  the  Indians  that  remained  on  board, 
but  Louis  and  a  few  of  his  friends  lingered.  The 
captain  called,  "All  hands  on  deck!  Make  sail," 
and,  in  a  few  minutes,  "  Take  the  anchor,"  but 
Louis  still  remained.  The  vessel  was  now  under 
way  and  slowly  moving  off  with  the  boats  by  her 
side,  when  the  captain  sternly  commanded  Louis 
and    his   friends    to  jump    into  the    boat,  which 


FAREWELL    TO  PATAGONIA. 


219 


they  did  reluctantly.  We  shook  hands  with 
them  and  waved  them  adieu,  and  they  were  soon 
landed. 

And  now  our  prow  was  pointed  eastward  tow- 
ards the  great  Atlantic  and  we  were  really  "  home- 
ward bound."  We  saw  the  savages  on  the  shore 
all  astir,  getting  up  their  horses,  packing,  mount- 
ing, and  movincr  off  to  their  dismal  homes.  This 
to  us  was  a  sad  picture  ;  .for  though  we  are  joyful 
at  the  thought  that  our  exploring  mission  is  ac- 
complished, and  that  we  are  now  on  our  way  back 
to  our  thrice-blessed  native  land,  and  to  our  pre- 
cious friends  from  whom  we  have  received  no 
tidings  for  nearly  six  months,  yet  it  was  painful 
to  see  these  poor,  dark-soulcd  human  beings  for 
whom  the  Saviour  died  left  in  their  darkness  and 
ruin,  and  with  little  hope  that  the  blessings  of 
Christianity  and  civilization  would  ever  come  to 
their  generation. 

Thus  commingled  emotions  of  joy  and  pity 
move  our  hearts.  The  remembrance  of  their 
abominations  pains  and  sickens  our  souls  ;  their 
wretchedness  excites  our  compassion  ;  their  kind- 
ness kindles  our  gratitude  ;  and  the  blindne5.s  of 
their  moral  and  spiritual  natures  awakens  our 
sympathies  and  our  love. 


220  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

Ah  !  when  will  the  day  dawn  and  the  day  star 
arise  upon  them  ? 

Well,  we  are  in  the  cabin  of  the  swift  clipper 
Antarctic,  a  beautiful  schooner  of  173  tons,  run- 
ning like  a  racer,  while  the  shores  of  Patagonia 
are  gathering  the  mantle  of  night  over  them  and 
fading  from  our  view. 


CHAPTER   XII. 

'       LIFE   AT   THE   FALKLAND   ISLANDS. 

Schoo7ier  Antarctic,  off  Cape  Virgins,  Sunday,  Jan. 
26,  1834. — Arose  this  morning  and  found  the  Ant- 
arctic passing  out  of  the  Strait  and  driving  into 
the  billows  of  the  Atlantic.  We  made  a  fine  run 
during  the  night,  and  we  shall  soon  sink  all  land 
and  get  an  open  ocean  horizon. 

Our  young  English  exile  is  with  us,  very  feeble, 
and  unable  to  perform  any  labor,  but  exceedingly 
joyful  in  the  thought  that  he  has  escaped  from 
the  grasp  of  the  savages,  and  that  he  once  more 
sees  the  faces  of  the  civilized  and  the  merciful.  It 
is  a  comfort  to  see  his  happiness. 

Charles  Palmer,  also,  is  quite  jubilant  in  view  of 
his  situation,  and  his  health  is  fast  improving.  In 
fact,  it  is  a  bright  and  joyful  day  to  all  on  board. 
Even  our  vessel  seems  to  leap  and  dance  and  rush 
into  the  white  foam  "  like  a  thing  of  life." 

We  have  a  large  and  fine  cabin,  and  all  the  ap- 
pointments of  this  schooner  are  excellent,  much 


222  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

better  than  those  of  any  other  seaHng  vessel  we 
have  seen.  It  is  the  same  schooner  in  which 
Captain  Benjamin  Morrell  once  visited  the  South 
Seas  and  wrote  the  narrative  that  I  have  men- 
tioned. 

Captain  Nash  informs  us  that  his  ship-stores  are 
low,  and  that  unless  he  can  replenish  them  at  the 
Falkland  Islands  he  will  be  obliged  to  leave  us 
there,  where  there  will  be  no  difficulty  in  our  ob- 
taining a  passage  to  the  States. 

Arrangements  were  made  for  divine  service  this 
afternoon,  but  before  the  hour  arrived  the  sea  be- 
came rough,  and  we  were  so  prostrated  with  sea- 
sickness that  the  service  was  given  up.  On  com- 
ing out  of  the  Strait  this  morning  we  saw  a  large 
brig,  having  the  appearance  of  a  man-of-war,  going 
in  under  the  north  shore,  but  so  far  from  us  the 
captain  could  not  speak  her. 

Jan.  28.  At  9  A.M.  we  made  the  Falkland  Isl- 
ands, and  in  the  afternoon  ran  into  a  little  bay 
and  dropped  anchor  near  the  shore  in  quiet  water. 
Here  we  found  the  schooner  Caroline,  Captain 
Storer,  of  New  York. 

As  nine  of  our  crew  were  going  on  shore  to 
find  game,  and  as  they  invited  us,  we  went  with 
them.     The  islands  and   lagoons   of   this    group 


THE  FALKLAND  ISLANDS. 


223 


abound  in  geese,  ducks,  and  a  great  variety  of 
other  fowls,  and  the  interior  in  wild  cattle,  hogs, 
and  rabbits. 

In  a  short  time  our  sailors  shot  thirty  geese, 
ducks,  etc.,  and  returned  on  board  laden  wath 
game.  On  returning  to  our  vessel  we  found  Cap- 
tain Storer,  of  the  Caroline,  and  Captain  Benja- 
min Pendleton,  of  Stonington,  Ct.,  master  of  the 
whaleship  Hamilton,  of  New  York,  in  our  cabin 
"gamming."  Captain  Pendleton's  ship  is  moored 
at  New  Island,  about  70  miles  from  us.  The  Car- 
oTme  is  a  tender  for  the  Hamilton,  and  goes  out 
into  the  open  ocean  in  search  of  whales,  and  when 
killed  tows  them  into  the  harbor,  where  they  are 
"cut  in"  and  "tried  out"  on  board  the  Hamilton. 
These  vessels  have  been  out  twelve  months  from 
the  United  States. 

Albemarle  Harbor,  Falkland  Isla^ids,  Jan.  29. — - 
We  are  anchored  in  a  small  lagoon  almost  sur- 
rounded by  islets.  On  the  south  is  Arch  Island, 
so  named  on  account  of  a  natural  arch  opening 
a  passage  entirely  through  one  end  of  the  island, 
so  that  boats  and  small  vessels  can  pass  in  and 
out  of  the  harbor  under  this  natural  bridge. 

The  schooner  Hancock,  Captain  Davison,  of 
Stonington,  Ct.,  came  into  our  harbor  this  morn- 


224  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

Ing.  She  is  bound  on  a  sealing  expedition.  We 
learn  that  the  brig  we  passed  in  coming  out  of  the 
Strait  is  the  Beagle,  Captain  Fitz  Roy,  a  survey- 
ing vessel  of  the  British  Royal  Navy.  (Charles 
Darwin  was  on  board  of  her,  making  his  fa- 
mous voyage ;  but  of  that  we  knew  nothing  at 
the  time.) 

Towards  evening  the  Antarctic  left  Port  Albe- 
marle, ran  down  the  island  a  few  miles,  and  an- 
chored in  a  little  cove.  From  the  deck  we  noticed 
a  large  number  of  hair-seals  basking  in  the  sun 
on  a  beautiful  sand-beach  opposite  our  vessel.  A 
boat  was  launched,  and  eighteen  men,  armed  with 
guns  and  clubs,  went  on  shore  to  attack  these 
animals.  While  rowing  to  the  shore  many  of  the 
huge  creatures  dove  into  the  water  and  came 
swimming  around  our  boat,  snorting,  growling, 
and  gnashing  their  teeth.  Not  to  disturb  those 
which  remained  on  the  beach,  our  men  landed  at 
a  distance  from  them,  and  came  upon  them  by  a 
circuitous  route ;  but  being  so  near  the  water 
they  killed  only  three,  while  more  than  a  hundred 
escaped  into  the  sea.  One  of  those  captured  is 
what  is  called  a  sea-lion  {PlatyrJiuncJius  leojiinus), 
a  name  probably  given  him  from  his  huge  dimen- 
sions, his   bold  front,   and  his  power  in  combat. 


THE  FALKLAND  ISLANDS. 


225 


This  animal  measured  ten  feet  and  four  inches  in 
length.  On  being  fired  upon  the  whole  drove 
plunged  into  the  water,  making  the  bay  foam 
with  their  splashings.  Many  of  them  came  close 
to  the  shore,  grunting  and  growling  as  if  to  defy 
us.  The  men  shot  several  of  them  in  the  water, 
but  this  was  a  pity,  as  it  was  also  cruel,  for  they 
all  sunk  at  once  and  could  not  be  taken.  Two 
large  foxes,  coming  boldly  out  of  the  bushes  to 
reconnoitre,  were  unceremoniously  shot. 

Bay  of  St.  Salvador,  Falkland  Islands,  Jan.  30. 
— At  daylight  this  morning  the  Antarctic  was  got 
under  way,  and  we  ran  down  through  Falkland 
Sound,  the  beautiful  sheet  of  water  which  sepa- 
rates the  two  principal  islands  of  the  group.  East 
and  West  Falkland,  and  at  4  P.M.  anchored  in  this 
bay,  having  sailed  nearly  one  hundred  miles.  Our 
pas.sage  through  the  sound  was  delightful.  With 
a  fine  breeze  and  a  smooth  sea  we  glided  along  at 
the  rate  of  ten  knots  an  hour.  The  island  on  our 
left  presented  in  many  places  a  bold  shore  of  per- 
pendicular rock,  while  inland  a  range  of  mountains 
rose  to  a  considerable  height,  sprinkled  here  and 
there  with  patches  of  snow.  On  our  right  the 
land  was  low  and  level,  resembling  somewhat  the 
pampas  of  Eastern  Patagonia.  On  our  way  through 


226  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

the  sound  we  spoke  two  vessels.  The  captain's 
object  in  visiting  this  bay  is  to  get  some  spars 
and  other  articles  left  here  by  the  Antarctic  on 
her  way  out,  and  also  to  make  some  repairs  on  the 
vessel  before  going  to  sea. 

Went  ashore  at  5  P.M.  with  several  of  the  crew 
in  search  of  game.  Immediately  on  landing  we 
saw  a  sea-elephant  on  the  beach.  Coming  be- 
tween it  and  the  sea,  it  came  towards  us  display- 
ing enormous  open  jaws  and  strong  teeth,  when 
our  officer  fired  directly  into  its  mouth — the  surest 
way  of  killing  the  monster — and  brought  him  down. 
He  measured  fifteen  and  a  half  feet,  and  he  will 
yield  about  three  barrels  of  oil.  The  sea-elephant 
{Macrorhinus proboscidcns)  is  the  largest  species  of 
seal.  It  is  said  to  be  sometimes  found  measuring 
thirty  feet  in  length  and  yielding  twenty-five  bar- 
rels of  oil.  It  is  a  formidable-looking  animal,  but 
on  account  of  its  clumsiness  on  land  it  is  not 
at  all  dangerous,  though  powerful  in  the  water. 
Having  flippers  instead  of  legs,  it  only  moves  by 
awkward  and  slow  hitches  on  the  land,  so  that  a 
boy  of  four  years  can  outrun  it.  Our  men  shot 
several  geese  and  ducks,  and  we  returned  to  the 
schooner. 

Feb.  I.  Three  men  appearing  on  horseback  upon 


THE   FALKLAND  ISLANDS. 


227 


the  shore  opposite  our  vessel,  the  captain  sent  a 
boat  to  communicate  with  them.  The  boat  re- 
turned and  reported  that  they  were  Mestizos  and 
Indians  from  Buenos  Ayres  who  had  Hved  at  Port 
Louis,  and  who  roamed  over  the  islands  to  slaugh- 
ter wild  cattle  and  other  game.  They  are  called 
Gauchos.  Port  Louis  was  a  small  Spanish  settle- 
ment, and  the  only  village  on  the  island,  Port 
Egmont,  a  small  English  settlement,  having  been 
abandoned.  We  hear  that  there  has  has  been  a 
massacre  at  Port  Louis  of  late.  This  port  was 
formerly  under  a  governer  named  Vernit,  who  was 
commissioned  by  the  Buenos  Ayres  Government, 
and  a  man  of  the  name  of  Brisbane,  an  English- 
man, acted  as  lieutenant-governor.  This  col- 
ony attempted  to  monopolize  the  seal-fishery 
about  these  islands,  seizing  American  vessels,  con- 
fiscating their  cargoes,  and  putting  their  crews 
into  confinement,  or  banishing  them  to  other 
islands. 

In  1 83 1  the  United  States  sloop-of-war  Lex- 
ington was  sent  out  to  break  up  the  establish- 
ment. Governor  Vernit  fled  to  Buenos  Ayres, 
Brisbane  was  taken  prisoner  and  sent  to  the  same 
place,  and  the  nest  was  broken  up. 

After  this  the  English  took  possession  of  the 


228  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

islands,  and  a  small  colony  was  begun  at  Port 
Louis,  to  which  Brisbane  returned  as  acting, 
governor.  Displeasing  the  few  Spaniards,  mesti- 
zos and  Indians  of  the  place,  they  arose,  and  on 
the  26th  of  August,  1833,  murdered  Brisbane  and 
four  others  of  the  colonists,  intending,  obviously, 
to  massacre  the  whole  English  colony.  In  this 
they  failed,  as  the  rest  of  the  residents  rushed 
into  a  stone  house  with  a  few  arms,  barricaded  it, 
and  determined  to  sell  their  lives,  if  need  be,  at 
the  highest  cost.  The  murderers  watched  the 
house  for  a  day  or  two,  and  finding  it  too  danger- 
ous to  storm,  they  tore  down  the  other  houses  of 
the  village,  broke  up  all  the  boats  or  sent  them 
adrift,  sacked  the  village,  drove  off  all  the  domes- 
tic animals — horses,  sheep,  swine,  horned  cattle, 
etc. — and  decamped  to  a  sheltered  valley  on  the 
other  side  of  the  island.  After  the  murderers  had 
left  the  place  the  barricaded  men  came  out,  and 
looked  for  some  way  of  escape  from  the  island. 

Fortunately  one  of  the  boats  which  the  mob 
had  set  adrift  upon  the  water  floated  across  the 
channel  and  beached  on  the  opposite  shore.  One 
of  the  men,  being  a  good  swimmer,  succeeded  in 
reaching  it,  got  it  afloat,  and  sculled  it  across  the 
channel  to  his  com.panions,  who  all  embarked  im-* 


THE  FALKLAND  LSLAXDS. 


229 


mediately  and  escaped  to  another  island,  where 
they  awaited  a  vessel  which  relieved  them.  In 
due  time  the  news  of  the  massacre  was  sent  to 
the  British  naval  commander  at  Buenos  Ayres, 
when  a  lieutenant  of  the  Royal  Navy  with  six 
marines  was  sent  to  Port  Louis  to  hold  the  place 
until  sufficient  help  should  be  sent. 

This  we  understand  to  be  the  present  state  of 
things  at  the  islands,  and  the  three  men  seen  on 
the  shore  to-day,  armed  to  the  teeth,  are  prob- 
ably of  the  murderous  gang  from  Port  Louis, 
They  inquired  if  our  vessel  wanted  fresh  beef, 
and  promised  us  a  fat  cow  this  afternoon  if  the 
captain  would  send  his  boat  some  four  or  five 
miles  down  the  coast  to  a  lagoon  where  they 
would  deliver  it.  They  also  agreed  to  deliver 
the  captain  seven  fat  bullocks  to-morrow  at  five 
dollars  a  head,  taking  pay  in  powder,  balls,  tobac- 
co, rum,  and  other  articles. 

A  boat  was  sent  for  the  beef  promised  to-day, 
and  Mr.  Arms  and  I  went  in  it.  The  sailors  had 
a  long  and  hard  pull,  and  only  reached  the  cove  a 
little  before  sundown.  Here  in  a  most  secluded 
nook,  covered  by  hills  and  open  only  to  the  sea, 
we  found  seven  armed  men,  Spaniards  and  In- 
dians, dressing  a  fat  cow.     They  looked  wild  and 


230 


ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA  . 


suspicious,  and  we  supposed  them  to  have  been 
engaged  in  the  massacre  of  last  August.  Our  men 
took  the  beef,  and  we  returned  to  the  Antarctic, 
arriving  at  10  P.M. 

Feb.  3.  At  an  early  hour  this  morning  six  men 
appeared  on  the  shore  with  eleven  horses  and 
four  beeves.  The  bullocks  were  purchased  for 
our  vessel,  and  a  bright,  active  little  Spaniard 
with  one  attendant  came  on  board  to  receive  the 
pay.  These  men  are  armed  with  double-barrelled 
guns,  pistols,  dirks,  and  knives.  The  Spaniard  is 
the  evident  leader  of  the  gang,  and  they  call  him 
Captain  Antook.  Having  received  the  pay  for 
the  animals,  he  bowed  a  polite  good-day  and  was 
off  in  trice.  His  eye  was  sharp  and  restless,  and 
his  bearing  like  that  of  one  ill  at  ease. 

Feb.  4.  We  saw  two  men  on  the  beach  this 
morning,  and  a  boat  was  sent  to  speak  them. 
They  proved  to  be  an  Englishman  and  an  In- 
dian from  Port  Louis,  on  the  opposite  side  of 
this  island,  and  were  supposed  to  have  been 
sent  by  Lieutenant  Smith  to  inquire  about  our 
vessel. 

In  the  afternoon  they  came  down  again,  and 
the  Englishman  came  on  board  with  a  letter  from 
the  Governor  to  Captain  Nash.     This  letter  gave 


THE  FALKLAND   ISLANDS. 


231 


many  particulars  in  regard  to  the  bloody  massa- 
cre at  the  Port,  stating  also  that  the  Indian  who 
accompanies  the  Englishman  was  one  of  the  mur- 
derers who  had  given  himself  up  to  the  Governor, 
and  received  pardon  on  promising  to  become  a 
witness  for  the  Crown. 

This  Indian  brought  back  two  horses,  and  these 
are  all  that  can  be  mustered  at  Port  Louis,  the 
gauchos  having  taken  off  fifty  when  they  left  the 
place. 

Feb.  5.  Governor  Smith  came  over  from  Port 
Louis  to-day,  accompanied  by  Captain  Rea,  six 
English  marines,  and  the  Indian  who  gave  him- 
self up.  Captain  Rea  is  in  the  service  of  the 
English  Admiralty,  and  in  attempting  to  reach 
the  newly  discovered  "  Graham's  Land"  lost  his 
vessel,  but  succeeded  in  reaching  the  Falkland 
Islands  with  his  secretary,  Mr.  Foxton,  where 
they  are  now  waiting  for  a  chance  to  return  to 
England. 

Coming  on  board  the  Antarctic,  the  Governor 
and  the  captain  began  a  conversation  wdth  Cap- 
tain Nash  about  the  massacre.  Having  heard 
that  Captain  Nash  had  aided  and  abetted  these 
desperadoes,  the  Governor's  language  waxed 
warm  and  threatening.     He  even  declared  that  if 


232 


ADV  EAT  IRES   IN  PATAGONIA. 


he  had  an  armed  vessel  he  would  proceed  immedi- 
ately to  seize  the  Antarctic.  He  blamed  Captain 
Nash  severely  for  trading  with  these  ruffians  and 
receiving  them  on  board  his  vessel,  styling  it  an 
act  of  hostility  against  "  His  Majesty's  Govern- 
ment," and  especially  blaming  him  for  not  arrest, 
ing  the  murderers  when  they  came  on  board. 
The  Governor  affirmed  that  Captain  Nash  had 
involved  himself  and  his  country  in  serious  dif' 
ficulty  with  the  Government  of  Great  Britain. 
Captain  Nash  replied  that  he  had  been  greatly 
misinformed :  that  only  one  of  the  company,  An- 
took,  with  an  attendant,  had  been  on  board  the 
Antarctic,  and  that  this  was  at  a  time  when  two 
of  his  sailors  were  on  shore  and  in  the  power  of 
the  rest  of  the  gang  of  supposed  murderers.  Be- 
sides, he  asserted  that  he  had  no  evidence  but 
that  of  suspicion  and  rumor  that  the  men  with 
whom  he  traded  were  the  party  guilty  of  the 
massacre ;  that  he  had  no  legal  warrant  from  any 
source  to  seize  them  ;  and  finally,  that,  had  he 
arrested  them,  he  then  had  no  authentic  infor- 
mation of  the  reestablishmcnt  of  any  govern- 
ment on  the  islands,  civil,  military,  or  naval,  to 
which  he  could  deliver  them.  On  these  grounds 
he  felt  himself  clear  from  all  complicity  with  the 


THE  FALKLAND  ISLANDS. 


233 


crimes  alleged,  and  from  all  blame  in  the  offences 
charged  upon  him. 

In  reply  to  the  threatenings  of  the  Governor, 
Captain  Nash  stated  that  he  had  a  good  vessel 
armed  with  six  brass  nine-pounders,  with  plenty 
of  powder  and  balls,  also  a  full  complement  of 
muskets,  pistols,  cutlasses,  harpoons,  spades,  and 
boarding  pikes,  and  that  he  was  well  able  to  de- 
fend himself,  but  that  notwithstanding  this,  since 
the  Governor  was  without  an  "  armed  vessel,"  he 
would  consent  to  take  the  Antarctic  to  Port  Louis 
and  deliver  her  up  to  him  if  he  desired  it. 

The  atmosphere  of  the  cabin  now  became  cool- 
er ;  the  Governor  began  to  retract,  saying,  "  No, 
no,  I  do  not  wish  it,"  and  after  fuller  explana- 
tions he  became  very  pacific  and  courteous.  All 
matters  of  difference  were  amicably  settled,  and 
the  Governor  cordially  invited  Captain  Nash  to 
visit  Port  Louis  in  the  Antarctic,  offering  him 
any  assistance  in  his  power. 

The  Governor  and  Captain  Rea  then  held  a 
pleasant  conversation  with  Mr.  Arms  and  myself, 
and  the  Governor  insisted  on  our  going  home 
with  him  to  spend  the  night,  offering  to  give  us 
fresh  milk  and  butter  and  the  best  of  all  he  had, 
and  then  to  send  his  marines  to  escort  us  back  to 
the  schooner  on  the  morrow. 


ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 


We  accepted  the  invitation  with  pleasure,  and 
at  4  P.M.  set  off  for  the  Port,  where  we  arrived  at 
a  quarter  past  eight,  distance  ten  or  twelve  miles. 
There  were  but  two  horses  in  the  party  of  eleven. 
One  of  these  the  pardoned  Indian  was  permitted 
to  ride  as  his  own,  while  the  other  was  appropri- 
ated to  Captain  Rea,  my  companion,  and  myself, 
by  order  of  the  Governor,  who  with  his  marines 
insisted  on  walking  all  the  way.  We  had  no  road 
or  trail,  but  took  the  direction  towards  Port 
Louis,  passing  over  fields  of  grass,  sometimes 
thick  and  tall  like  tussock-grass  (Dactylis),  and 
sometimes  over  low  grassy  plains.  Where  the 
tall  or  bunch  grasses  were  abundant  the  rabbits 
were  very  numerous,  and  our  company  caught  a 
full  dozen  on  the  way.  These  were  found  with 
great  ease,  simply  by  watching  for  the  animals  as 
they  ran  for  shelter  into  thick  tufts  of  grass. 

The  tussock  has  a  succulent  and  nutritious  root 
on  which  the  rabbit,  the  wild  hog,  the  rat,  and 
other  rodents  feed. 

Port  Louis  consists  of  a  dozen  low  houses, 
some  built  of  stone  and  others  of  turf  or  adobe, 
and  all  thatched  with  grass.  As  before  stated, 
most  of  these  houses  were  pulled  down  or  un- 
roofed by  the  gauchos,  so  that  when  Lieut.  Smith 


THE  FALKLAND  LSLANDS. 


235 


came  with  his  six  marines  to  act  as  Governor  of 
the  islands,  he  had  first  to  roof  a  part  of  a  stone 
house  to  obtain  comfortable  shelter. 

Into  this  house  of  one  room  we  were  kindly 
and  courteously  welcomed,  and  here  with  the 
Governor,  Captain  Rea,  and  Mr.  Foxton  we  spent 
a  pleasant  night. 

One  or  two  other  houses  have  been  partially 
repaired,  furnishing  rude  quarters  for  the  marines 
and  a  few  sailors,  adventurers,  etc.,  amounting  in 
all  to  twenty-three  men. 

The  Governor's  quarters  contained  one  old 
Franklin  stove,  a  table,  an  old  sideboard,  a  dingy 
sofa,  a  chest  of  drawers,  a  crib,  and  a  few  chairs. 

In  this  room  Gov^ernor  Brisbane  was  murdered, 
and  here  we  heard  an  account  of  the  shocking 
event  and  its  immediate  cause. 

Brisbane  employed  the  Spaniard  Antook  as  a 
shoemaker,  and  several  Mestizos  and  South  Amer- 
ican Indians  as  herdsmen,  bullock-hunters,  etc. 
Failing  to  pay  them  promptly,  from  lack  of  means, 
as  he  said,  they  were  angry,  and  determined  to 
kill  him  and  all  his  friends  and  plunder  the 
village.  According  to  the  plot  agreed  on,  Antook 
came  to  the  door  of  this  room  one  morning  while 
Brisbane  was  sittinjj  before  the  stove  lifrhted  with 


236  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

a  fire  of  peat,  the  principal  fuel  of  these  islands, 
and  demanded  pay.  Brisbane  refused,  and  im- 
mediately a  bullet  went  through  his  body. 

He  grabbed  for  his  pistol,  in  a  cupboard  on  his 
left,  arose  to  fire,  but  staggered  and  fell,  when  he 
received  a  blow  upon  his  head  from  a  cutlass  and 
three  stabs  from  a  dirk.  He  was  then  dragged 
to  the  door,  his  feet  bound  with  raw-hide  rope, 
and  this  being  attached  to  the  saddle  of  a  horse, 
he  was  drawn  out  into  the  field,  where  he  was 
.stripped,  mutilated,  and  left  unburied.  His  clerk 
was  also  killed  with  several  others  at  the  same 
time,  and  the  town  was  sacked,  a  few  Englishmen 
escaping  as  before  stated. 

Governor  Smith  had  succeeded  in  catching  two 
wild  milch-cows,  and  he  redeemed  his  hospitable 
word  by  giving  us  fresh  milk  and  butter,  with 
eggs,  fresh  beef,  sea-biscuit,  etc.,  making  a  de- 
licious supper. 

The  evening  passed  pleasantly  in  talk  with  the 
Governor  and  Captain  Rca  on  their  expeditions, 
perils,  and  varied  experiences  in  the  wild  regions 
of  the  Antarctic  Ocean.  The  hour  of  sleep  ar- 
riving, Mr.  Arms  and  myself  were  furnished  with, 
a  narrow  crib  bed  and  a  sofa,  while  the  other 
three    were    disposed,    one    on    the    broad    win- 


THE  FALKLAND  LSLANDS. 


237 


dow-sill,  one  on  the  table,  and  the  other  on 
the  floor,  and  thus  we  passed  the  night,  the 
marines  standing  their  appointed  watches  unti- 
morning. 

Feb.  6.  At  a  little  before  1 1  a.m.  we  left  Port 
Louis  and  set  out  for  Salvador  Bay.  We  de- 
clined an  escort  of  marines,  very  kindly  offered 
by  the  Governor,  telling  him  we  only  needed  the 
old  Gaucho  to  guide  us.  The  Governor  gave  us 
the  spare  horse  and  a  sailor  to  go  with  us  and 
bring  him  back.  In  order  to  quicken  our  speed, 
we  doubled  the  horses,  the  sailor  riding  behind 
the  Indian,  and  Mr.  Arms  and  I  occupying  the 
other  saddle.  But  we  worked  our  passages,  for 
propelling  the  old  worn-out  horse  was  like  setting 
an  old  leaky  scow  up  stream.  However,  we  ar- 
rived at  the  bay  in  good  time,  and  were  taken 
on  board  the  Antarctic. 

Feb.  8.  Our  anchor  was  taken  up  this  morning 
and  our  sails  spread  for  a  visit  to  Eagle  Island ; 
but  as  the  wind  failed,  the  tide  drifted  the  Ant- 
arctic towards  the  shore  and  she  grounded.  A 
kedge  anchor  was  carried  out  from  her  bows,  and 
she  was  soon  hauled  off  into  deep  water.  A 
breeze  now  sprung  up  and  we  beat  out  of  the  bay. 

Learning   that    a    French    man-of-war  and   an 


238  ADVE.YTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

English  schooner  had  just  arriv^ed  at  Port  Louis, 
our  captain  determined  to  pass  that  way  and 
send  a  boat  from  the  mouth  of  Berkley  Sound, 
sixteen  miles,  to  Port  Louis,  to  ascertain  what 
ship  it  was,  and  to  get  some  small  stores,  if  pos- 
sible, for  our  vessel. 

Feb.  9.  Calm  all  the  afternoon  of  yesterday 
and  all  last  night.  This  morning  we  found  our 
vessel  drifted  quite  into  the  entrance  of  Berkley 
Sound,  where  we  saw  the  French  ship  beating 
out  against  a  head-wind.  As  she  passed  near 
us  our  captain  spoke  her,  and  found  her  to  be 
the  Victorious,  twenty-two  days  from  Rio  and 
bound  to  Valparaiso. 

Our  boat  returned  at  ic>|  A.M.  with  an  earnest 
request  from  Governor  Smith  for  the  Antarctic 
to  visit  Port  Louis,  and  we  immediately  squared 
away  and  ran  before  the  wind  to  the  Port,  and 
at  2  r.M.  came  to  anchor  in  the  harbor.  Here 
we  found  the  English  schooner  Hopeful,  Captain 
Mallros,  who  with  another  gentleman  came  at 
once  on  board  our  vessel. 

Feb.  II.  Took  a  ramble  on  shore  this  morn- 
ing to  see  the  village  cemetery.  This,  like  the 
village  and  all  its  surroundings,  is  in  a  neglected 
and    dilapidated    condition.      P^our   rude    boards 


THE  FALKLAND  ISLANDS. 


239 


mark  the  resting-places  of  as  many  English  and 
American  seamen.  All  the  other  graves  are  un- 
distinguished by  any  memorial  of  their  tenants. 
We  visited  the  great  corral,  or  cattle-pen,  in  which 
a  hundred  horned  cattle  were  sometimes  collected 
for  slaughter  or  for  taming.  Only  eleven  bullocks 
are  now  in  this  enclosure ;  for  although  there  are 
numerous  wild  cattle  on  the  group,  yet  for  lack 
of  horses  and  expert  lasso-men  but  few  have  been 
taken  since  the  massacre. 

We  called  on  the  Governor  and  took  a  walk 
with  him  in  his  garden  and  in  the  fields.  The 
former  contains  an  acre  of  ground,  but  he  ar- 
rived too  late  in  the  season  to  cultivate  many 
vegetables  this  year.  The  soil  is  good,  but  the 
warm  season  is  short  in  this  high  latitude.  Irish 
potatoes,  beans,  turnips,  and  some  other  vege- 
tables of  quick  growth  can  be  raised  here. 

One  of  our  boats  went  out  on  a  fishing  expedi- 
tion to-day,  and  returned  loaded  with  fishes  as 
large  as  shad  and  greater  in  number  than  the  sur- 
prising draught  of  Peter.  The  coves  and  lagoons 
of  these  islands  are  well  stocked  with  fishes,  which 
can  be  easily  taken  in  a  net  in  large  quantities. 

Choiscul  Bay,  Feb.  12. — We  left  Port  Louis  this 
morning  for  Eagle  Island.     While  getting  under 


240  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

way  the  Governor  came  on  board  to  bring  some 
despatches  and  to  bid  us  farewell.  Captain  Mall- 
ros,  of  the  Hopeful,  also  paid  us  a  pleasant  visit, 
sailing  some  distance  down  the  sound  with  us, 
and  th^n  returning  in  his  boat  to  his  vessel. 

Captain  Prior,  of  the  English  sloop  which  was 
lost  in  the  ice  off  the  Southern  Ocean,  takes  pas- 
sage for  himself  and  four  of  his  crew  for  New 
Island  on  board  the  Antarctic. 

While  passing  the  South  Rocks  in  the  mouth 
of  Berkley  Sound  we  saw  them  covered  with  fur- 
seals,  while  the  waters  around  the  rocks  were 
alive  with  the  gambols  of  these  animals.  We 
supposed  that  there  were  at  least  a  thousand  of 
them. 

Clark's  FI arbor,  Eagle  Island,  Feb.  14. — In  con- 
sequence of  calms  we  reached  this  port  only  this 
morning.  Most  of  the  crew  have  spent  the  day 
on  shore  in  search  of  wild  hogs  and  other  game. 
Several  geese  and  a  variety  of  birds  were  taken, 
but  no  hogs. 

Feb.  15.  Went  on  shore  in  company  with  a 
boat's  crew  in  search  of  wild  geese.  Twelve  were 
shot,  together  with  many  smaller  fowls  and  a 
beautiful  white  swan.  Just  at  night  two  schoo- 
ners came  into  the  harbor  and  anchored  near  us ; 


THE  FALKLAND  ISLANDS.  241 

the  Unicorn,  an  armed  English  vessel  engaged  in 
surveying  these  islands,  and  the  Elizabeth  Jane, 
Captain  Alberton,  of  New  York.  Captain  Alber- 
ton  came  on  board  our  vessel, 

Sunday,  Feb.  16.  —  Captain  Nash  invited  the 
masters,  officers,  and  crews  of  the  two  schooners 
to  attend  divine  service  on  board  the  Antarctic. 
At  the  hour  appointed  a  signal  was  set,  and  these 
hardy  sons  of  the  ocean  collected  together  and 
filled  our  cabin.  It  was  a  pleasure  to  meet  so 
large  a  number  of  the  human  brotherhood  on 
these  lonely  isles  in  the  far  south.  Here  the  Eng- 
lishman, the  Frenchman,  American,  Scotchman, 
Irishman,  German,  and  African  met  to  recognize 
the  one  fatherhood  of  God,  the  one  brotherhood 
of  man,  the  one  blood  of  all  nations,  the  one 
Lord's  day  for  all  Christians,  the  one  Bible  as  the 
light  of  the  earth,  and  the  one  Saviour  of  a  lost 
world.  What  ties  can  so  truly  bind  the  human 
family  together  as  these? 

Feb.  18.  After  beating  all  day  against  a  head- 
wind  in  company  with  the  Elizabeth  Jane,  we 
were  unable  yesterday  to  reach  the  place  of  out 
destination.  Arch  Island,  and  so  came  to  anchor 
at  night  under  lee  of  the  shore.  Early  this  morn- 
ing we  entered  Port  Albemarle.     Here  we  found 


242 


ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 


the  ship  Charles  Adams,  Captain  Staunton,  of 
Stonington,  Ct.,  v/ith  her  tender,  the  brig  Uxor ; 
also  the  bark  Commodore  Barre,  Captain  Chester, 
of  New  York.  These  vessels  are  all  engaged  in 
whaling.  There  are  now  five  sail  lying  in  the 
port,  giving  it  a  lively  appearance. 

The  safe  and  quiet  harbors  of  this  group  are 
numerous,  and  many  of  them  are  landlocked. 
Many  ships,  barks,  brigs,  and  schooners  flock  to- 
gether in  these  bays. 

Captain  Nash  tehs  us  to-day  that,  not  being 
able  to  obtain  suitable  provisions  here,  he  will  be 
obliged  to  leave  us  with  some  of  the  vessels  at 
these  islands,  whence  we  will,  as  he  thinks,  soon 
find  passage  to  the  United  States.  He  now  pur- 
poses to  visit  St.  Charles,  in  Brazil,  for  supplies 
and  repairs.  So  our  hopes  of  a  speedy  return  to 
our  country  are  again  disappointed.  But  all  will 
be  right,  and  in  God's  good  time  we  hope  to  see 
the  land  of  our  birth. 

Fish  Bay,  Feb.  19. — Left  Port  Albemarle  for 
New  Island.  We  passed  many  islands  of  various 
forms  and  sizes,  some  of  which  were  crowded 
with  birds,  which  filled  the  air  with  wild  and  vari- 
ous notes.  We  estimated  that  twenty  thousand 
birds  were  sometimes  seen    on    an   islet  of   two 


THE  FALKLAND  ISLANDS. 


243 


miles  in  circumference.  There  is  a  gregarious 
bird  very  common  here  which  the  sailors  call 
"  Johnny  Rook."  This  rook  {Corvus  fntgilcgiis) 
resembles  the  crow.  Some  of  its  habits  are 
amusinfj,  thou<zh  often  vexatious.  He  is  an 
arrant  rogue,  and  outdoes  all  the  feathered  tribe 
in  impudence.  Johnny  is  always  watching  the 
sailor  when  on  shore,  hovering  and  screaming  just 
over  his  head,  following  him  from  place  to  place, 
and  when  he  lays  any  small  article  upon  the 
ground,  slyly  stealing  it  away,  often  from  within 
two  feet  of  him.  He  seems  to  delight  in  mischief 
for  its  own  sake.  He  has  often  been  known  to 
break  large  quantities  of  eggs  which  sailors  had 
gathered  and  left  only  for  a  few  minutes  unguard- 
ed. This  is  done  wantonly,  and  not  from  hunger. 
He  will  even  watch  when  any  one  buries  a  small 
article  in  the  ground,  and  will  dig  it  up  and,  if 
possible,  destroy  it,  or  carry  it  away  and  hide  it. 
He  has  been  known  to  take  pocket-knives,  pow- 
der-horns, flasks,  caps,  handkerchiefs,  etc.,  and 
sometimes  to  drop  them  into  the  middle  of  a  pond 
in  sight  of  their  owners.  These  vexatious  habits 
render  the  rook  an  object  of  resentment  to  the 
sailors,  and,  as  the  bird  is  easily  captured,  the  most 
shocking  tortures  are  often  inflicted  upon  it. 


244 


ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 


Feb.  20.  Captain  Nash  has  concluded  to  remain 
in  this  harbor  until  he  leaves  the  islands.  He 
therefore  sent  a  boat  to  New  Island — seven  miles 
■ — to  communicate  with  some  ships  lying  there 
and  with  Captain  Benjamin  Pendleton,  of  the  ship 
Hamilton. 

Wishing  to  find  a  home  for  my  companion  and 
myself  when  the  Antarctic  shall  leave  us,  I  took 
passage  in  the  boat  this  morning  for  Island  Har- 
bor. The  day  was  very  stormy  and  cold,  but  we 
reached  the  Hamilton  in  good  time,  and  were 
kindly  received  by  Captain  Pendleton  and  invited 
to  spend  the  night  on  board,  which  invitation  was 
thankfully  accepted.  This  is  a  fine  ship  of  500 
tons,  with  two  schooners  attached  as  tenders. 
Captain  Pendleton  very  generously  offers  us  a 
home  on  board  his  vessel  until  we  find  an  oppor- 
tunity to  sail  for  the  States.  Here  I  found  some 
trunks  and  other  articles  we  left  on  board  the 
Mary  Jane  to  be  sent  back  to  the  United 
States. 

I  also  found  two  young  sailors  who  escaped 
from  Patagonia  in  the  Macdonough  two  days  be- 
fore wc  embarked  in  the  antarctic. 

Feb.  21.  We  received  an  invitation  to  return  to 
Fish  Bay  in  the   schooner  Hancock,  Captain  Da- 


THE  FALKLAND  ISLANDS. 


245 


vison.  In  two  hours  we  were  alongside  of  the 
Antarctic. 

Feb.  23.  Yesterday  was  mostly  spent  by  the 
crew  in  getting  ready  for  sea,  and  by  us  in  pre- 
paring letters,  etc.,  for  our  friends,  if  this  vessel 
should  chance  to  reach  home  before  us. 

Feb.  24.  We  bade  farewell  to  the  Antarctic  to- 
day, and  took  up  our  lodgings  on  board  the  Ham- 
ilton. 

Captain  Nash  refuses  to  take  any  compensa- 
tion for  our  board  and  passage.  We  have  been 
with  him  a  full  month,  and  we  feel  under  great 
obligations  for  the  generous  welcome  he  has  given 
us  and  for  all  that  we  have  enjoyed  in  his  beauti- 
ful and  comfortable  vessel,  in  which  we  have  been 
conveyed  from  port  to  port,  until  we  have  seen 
most  that  is  to  be  seen  among  these  islands. 

Feb.  26.  The  Antarctic  sailed  this  morning  with 
fair  weather  and  a  brisk  breeze,  and  was  soon  out 
of  sight. 

Captain  Pendleton  tells  us  to  make  ourselves 
quite  at  home,  and  gives  us  evidence  of  a  sincere 
v/elcome.  Two  boats  went  out  in  search  of 
whales.  A  large  whale  was  harpooned,  but  as 
the  sea  was  rough  the  line  was  cut  in  order  to 
save  the  boat   and  the   lives   of  the  crew  :  so  the 


246 


ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 


monster  made  off  with  the  barbed  iron  in  his 
flesh. 

Captain  Davison,  of  the  Hancock,  came  on 
board  and  told  us  that  the  schoonei  Talma,  Cap- 
tain Gordon  Allyn,  of  New  London,  was  daily- 
expected  in  from  the  South  Shetland  Islands,  and 
that  he  was  quite  sure  he  could  procure  for  us  a 
passage  in  her.  He  added  that  he  was  bound  to 
a  certain  harbor  where  he  expected  to  meet  the 
Talma,  as  she  was  mated  with  the  Hancock  in  the 
seal-fishery.  He  then  invited  one  or  both  of  us 
to  come  on  board  his  vessel  and  make  it  our 
home,  while  he  waited  and  watched  for  the  Tal- 
ma. It  was  soon  arranged  that  I  should  go  with 
Captain  Davison,  while  Mr.  Arms  would  remain 
on  the  Hamilton  ready  to  sail  for  home  should 
the  opportunity  present.  The  Hamilton  imme- 
diately sailed  down  to  West  Point  Harbor,  a  dis- 
tance of  thirty  miles.  Here  we  anchored  for  the 
purpose  of  taking  fish  and  fowl. 

SJdp  Harbor,  Feb.  28.  Spent  the  last  two  days 
chiefly  in  reading,  in  conversation  with  the  cap- 
tain and  officers,  etc.,  and  in  rambling  on  shore. 

There  is  little  variety  in  the  scenery  of  these 
islands.  Barren  rocks,  heath -clad  hills,  swales 
of  coarse,  rank  grass,  with  here  and  there  an  isl- 


THE  FALKLAND  LSLANDS. 


247 


and  of  peat  and  tussock,  are  the  chief  objects  of 
an  inanimate  kind  which  meet  the  eye  ;  while  the 
ear  is  cor^tantly  saluted  with  the  harsh  croaking 
of  unnumbered  sea-fowls  and  the  ceaseless  roar 
of  the  surges  as  they  dash  among  the  craggy  cliffs 
of  an  iron-bound  shore. 

March  l.  Took  a  ramble  this  morning  upon 
this  desolate  island,  and  here  in  this  dreary  soli- 
tude I  found  a  little  nameless  cemetery  where 
the  remains  of  seven  sailors  sleep  alone.  The 
sight  awakened  sad  reflections. 

Sunday,  March  2.  The  morning  opened  with 
great  beauty  and  sweet  serenity. 

Captain  Davison  is  very  kind  and  affable,  and 
not  averse  to  conversation  on  the  most  important 
of  all  themes  which  concern  man.  He  seems 
candid  and  thoughtful,  and  his  conduct  is  very 
courteous. 

Arrangements  were  made  by  him  for  religious 
service  in  the  afternoon,  but  just  before  the  hour 
arrived  the  cry  of  "  Sail  ho  !"  rang  from  the  deck. 
A  schooner  was  descried  coming  rapidly  into  the 
harbor,  and  it  was  soon  found  to  be  the  Talma, 
bound  for  New  London  !  In  she  came  and 
dropped  anchor  near  the  Hancock,  and  the  "gam- 
ming" commenced  immediately.     There  was  gen- 


248  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

eral  joy  in  meeting  old  friends  and  neigh- 
bors, and  of  telling  the  "yarns"  of  the  sea.  I 
was  introduced  to  Captain  Allyn,  and  when  Cap- 
tain Davison  told  him  our  Patagonian  history 
and  our  desire  to  return  to  the  United  States, 
he  at  once  offered  us  a  passage,  though  he  has 
a  large  crew  and  little  provision.  The  fact  that 
he  intends  to  sail  as  soon  as  possible  is  cheering, 
after  the  delays  and  uncertainties  of  the  past 
weeks. 

March  5.  We  left  Ship  Harbor  in  the  Hancock 
yesterday  to  return  to  the  Hamilton.  On  account 
of  a  calm  we  made  little  progress  all  day  and  all 
the  night,  but  at  seven  this  morning  we  an- 
chored near  the  Hamilton,  and  found  one  of  her 
tenders  "  cutting  in"  what  they  called  a  hundred- 
■  barrel  whale,  while  the  whole  train  of  large  pots 
on  deck  were  smoking  with  the  boiling  blubber. 
Captain  Allyn  remained  at  Ship  Harbor  to  pre- 
pare for  his  voyage  north,  promising  to  come  for 
us  at  New  Island  when  he  shall  be  ready  for  sea. 
We  are  under  great  obligations  to  Captain  Davi- 
son for  his  prompt,  kind,  and  courteous  agency  in 
securing  us  a  passage  in  the  Talma,  to  which  he 
would  convey  us  with  our  effects,  even  though 
ready  to  sail  as  soon  as  the  wind   shall  favor,  for 


THE  FALKLAND  ISLANDS. 


249 


the  Strait  of  Magellan,  could  he  obtain  the  con- 
sent of  his  crew. 

March  6.  A  bright  morning,  with  a  crisp  north- 
erly wind.  Shortly  after  the  departure  of  the 
Hancock,  the  whaleship  Atlantic,  of  Bridgeport, 
Conn.,  Captain  Young,  came  into  this  harbor, 
which  is  to  be  his  place  of  rendezvous.  These 
whalers  have  many  a  sad  tale  of  danger  and  dis- 
aster to  tell.  Captain  Young  has  lost  one  man 
on  his  way  out.  Two  of  his  boats  vv-ere  in  pur- 
suit of  a  large  whale.  One  boat-steerer  struck 
the  whale  with  his  harpoon  and  "  made  fast." 
The  furious  monster  turned  directly  upon  the 
boat,  struck  it  a  full  blow  with  his  fluke,  cut  it  in 
two,  shivered  it,  killed  one  man  instantly,  and 
scattered  the  rest  of  the  boat's  crew  upon  the 
water,  where  they  would  all  have  perished  had  it 
not  been  for  the  proximity  of  a  second  boat  in 
which  they  were  taken  and  saved.  It  is  an  im- 
portant precaution  observed  by  whalemen  to  send 
out  their  boats  in  pairs. 

One  of  the  Hamilton's  boats  fastened  to  a  huge 
whale,  but  he  towed  the  boat  so  swiftly  through 
the  water  that  the  raw  sailors  took  fright  and 
leaped  overboard,  choosing  rather  to  wait  for  a 
slower  boat  than    to    take  passage   in    one    that 


250 


ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 


turned  the  blue  into  white,  and  seemed  to  them 
to  outstrip  the  wind.  The  consequence  of  this 
plunge  was  that  the  boat-steerer  was  obliged  to 
cut  the  line,  stop  the  mad  rush  of  the  boat,  pick 
up  his  men,  and  lose  the  whale. 

At  4  P.M.  to-day  the  Talma  came  in  and  an- 
chored near  the  Hamilton.  Captain  Allyn  has 
been  faithful  to  his  promise  to  come  for  us.  Had 
it  not  been  to  accommodate  us,  he  would  have 
taken  his  departure  for  the  United  States  directly 
from  Ship  Harbor.  Thus  all  things  work  favor- 
ably for  us,  and  we  have  abundant  reason  to  be 
thankful.  There  are  two  ships  and  four  schoo- 
ners in  this  harbor  to-day,  and  all  the  masters  are 
from  the  little  busy  beehive  State  of  Connecticut. 
There  is  much  of  "  gamming,"  or  visiting  from  ves- 
sel to  vessel,  except  when  whales  are  being  taken. 
Then  all  hands  are  astir,  and  there  is  little  rest  by 
day  or  by  night. 

March  8.  Went  on  shore  with  a  guide  this 
morning  to  take  my  last  ramble  upon  these  isl- 
ands. After  walking  over  a  steep  hill  and  through 
rank  tussock-grass  for  a  mile  and  a  half,  we  came 
to  a  large  rookery  of  penguins,  albatrosses,  mol- 
Icmokes  {Proccllaria  glacialis),  and  other  birds. 

This  rookery  covers  several  acres,  and  we   are 


THE  FALKLAXD  ISLANDS. 


251 


told  that  In  the  season  of  incubation  it  is  so  com- 
pletely filled  with  birds  that  the  ground  can  hardly 
be  seen,  and  eggs  can  be  gathered  by  thousands  on 
thousands.  Most  of  these  birds  have  reared  their 
young  and  left  the  rookery,  but  several  thou- 
sands still  remain,  as  their  broods  are  not  old 
enough  to  leave  their  nests. 

When  the  penguins  are  suf^ciently  grown  they 
are  led  like  soldiers  in  single  file  to  the  shore, 
when  they  take  to  the  sea  and  are  seen  no  more 
until  the  time  for  laying  returns.  They  are  am- 
phibious, seeming  to  be  half  fish,  half  fowl.  They 
are  web-footed,  with  feathers  resembling  large 
and  coarse  scales,  and  with  only  the  stumps  of 
wings. 

They  walk  erect,  but  cannot  fly.  In  the  water 
they  use  both  their  stumps  of  wings  and  their 
webbed  feet,  and  are  expert  swimmers  and  divers. 
They  are  often  seen  hundreds  of  miles  from  land, 
where  they  are  perfectly  at  home  in  storm  or  calm. 

In  the  rookery  we  saw  several  nests  of  the  al- 
batross. These  were  built  of  mud,  grass,  small 
stones,  and  sticks,  say  two  feet  high,  and  as  large 
as  a  barrel.  These  nests  overlook  the  rookery,  and 
they  seem  to  stand  as  so  many  round  towers  for 
the  posting  of  sentinels.     The  penguins  and  other 


252 


ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 


fowls  lay  on  the  ground,  making  only  a  slight  de- 
pression in  the  earth  for  a  nest. 

I  found  some  of  the  nests  with  the  young 
albatross  on,  about  two  thirds  grown,  or  the  size 
of  a  goose.  These  were  not  sufficiently  fledged 
to  fly,  but  kept  to  their  towers  day  and  night, 
too  large  to  be  brooded,  but  still  receiving  their 
daily  food  from  the  parent-birds.  I  saw  but  one 
bird  in  a  nest,  and  inferred  that  the  albatross  lays 
but  one  ^gg  in  a  season.  On  approaching  one  of 
these  cumibrous  young  birds  it  seemed  much  dis- 
turbed, hissed  angrily,  and  showed  fight. 

In  the  afternoon  we  took  all  our  baggage  on 
board  the  Talma,  as  the  captain  declares  himself 
ready  to  sail  to-morrow.  Captain  Pendleton  not 
only  refuses  all  remuneration  for  our  board  while 
with  him,  but  he  is  also  determined  to  supply  us 
with  "  small  stores"  and  other  provisions  for  the 
voyage  home.  Captain  Young,  of  the  Atlantic, 
also  begs  the  privilege  to  join  in  this  generous 
work,  while  the  masters  of  the  schooners  wish  to 
have  a  hand  in  seeing  us  well  supplied.  Every- 
where the  true  sailor  is  proverbial  for  his  gener- 
osity, and  everywhere  we  have  experienced  only 
kindness  from  our  brethren  of  the  sea  and  of  the 
land. 


THE  FALKLAXD  ISLANDS.  253 

We  have  now  been  at  these  islands  forty  days 
save  one,  and  expect  to  leave  on  the  fortieth. 
We  have  met  hundreds  of  our  fellow-men  of 
about  twelve  different  nationalities.  We  have 
received  nothing  but  respect  and  kindness  from 
all ;  and  we  have  endeavored  so  to  live  among 
them  as  to  convince  all  of  our  earnest  desire  for 
their  welfare  here  and  forever. 


CHAPTER  XIIL 

HOMEWARD    BOUND. 

Schooner  Talma,  at  Sea,  March  g,  1834. — The 
morning  opened  with  golden  Hght,  the  sky  was 
clear,  the  wind  fair,  and  we  got  under  way  at  an 
early  hour.  With  her  prow  to  the  north  our 
sea-gull  schooner  danced  along  her  track,  gliding 
rapidly  over  the  waters  like  a  bird  just  set  free 
from  its  cage  and  rejoicing  to  spread  its  pinions 
to  the  morning  breeze.  The  weather  continued 
fine  during  the  day,  and  the  shores  and  lowlands 
of  the  islands  sunk  below  our  horizon  ;  then  the 
table-lands  disappeared,  and  before  dark  the  high- 
er and  then  the  highest  points  of  the  land  (fifteen 
hundred  feet  in  elevation)  were  submerged  be- 
neath the  waves. 

A/arch  15.  For  three  days  past  we  have  been 
among  ice-bergs,  some  of  them  several  miles  in 
length  and  perhaps  a  hundred  feet  high.  The 
chill  of  these  monstrous  congelations  strikes  us 
strongly.     Our  captain  navigates  carefully  while 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


255 


in  near  proximity  to  them,  but  our  vessel  is  small 
and  in  such  constant  and  violent  agitation  from 
the  waves  that  I  can  do  little  else  than  brace  my- 
self and  hold  on. 

March  23.  The  weather  has  been  fine  for  many 
days,  and  we  have  held  divine  service  on  board  for 
two  Sundays,  with  full  attendance  and  attention. 

April  I — lat.  13°  S.  We  passed  several  vessels, 
and  before  noon  we  made  land  on  the  coast  of 
Brazil,  distant  thirty  miles.  As  we  drew  nearer 
and  nearer  the  shore  we  could  see  the  houses  on 
the  beach  and  the  trees  along  the  coast, 

April  5.  We  have  now  been  running  for  five 
days  along  the  shores  of  Brazil.  The  sea  is 
smooth,  the  winds  gentle,  and  the  sailing  de- 
lightful. The  weather  is  warm,  the  mercury 
standing  at  80°  Fahr.  We  keep  so  near  the  shore 
in  the  daytime  that  we  not  only  see  the  villages 
as  we  glide  along,  but  also  men  on  the  beach 
and  the  small  boats  in  shore. 

We  have  passed  among  many  catamarans,  a 
clumsy  kind  of  raft,  or  float,  made  of  three  or 
four  logs  hewed  underneath  at  the  prow,  and 
lashed  firmly  together  and  rigged  with  mast,  sail, 
and  a  centre-board,  with  a  raised  platform  over  a 
portion  of  the  raft   on  which  the  fishermen  sit 


256  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

with  their  tackle  and  bait,  just  above  the  water. 
On  this  rude  float  they  often  venture  far  out  to 
sea  without  fear  of  upsetting,  and  not  minding 
the  wetting  which  is  a  matter  of  course. 

As  we  sail  smoothly  along,  our  sailors  throw 
out  hook  and  line  over  the  stern  and  often  haul 
in  the  fine  bonito  {TJiynmis  pclamys)  and  other 
edible  fishes,  so  that  our  table  is  well  supplied. 
We  can  also  purchase  fish  from  the  catamarans 
at  almost  any  time. 

The  shores  by  which  we  pass  are  sometimes 
bold,  but  in  most  places  they  are  low  and  border- 
ed by  a  beautiful  sand-beach,  while  all  the  back 
country,  so  far  as  we  can  see,  appears  beautifully 
tropical. 

April  6.  This  morning  we  descried  the  city 
of  Pernambuco,  or  Recife,  and,  being  becalmed, 
the  captain  determined  to  go  on  shore  and  pro- 
cure fruits  and  vegetables.  He  left  the  vessel  at 
9^  A.  M.  and  returned  at  5  ]'.  M.,  bringing  a  large 
quantity  of  oranges  and  fresh  vegetables. 

During  this  time  the  Talma  was  lying  off  and 
on  in  full  view  of  the  city,  and  on  her  inland  tack 
running  close  up  to  the  harbor.  The  city  is  said 
to  contain  30,000  inhabitants,  mostly  Portuguese 
and  slaves.     It  is  built   upon  low  ground,  and    is 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


257 


separated  into  three  parts  by  the  windings  of  a 
small  river.  The  houses  are  mostly  built  of  brick 
and  stone,  with  roofs  of  tile  and  grated  rather 
than  glazed  windows.  The  buildings  are  gener- 
ally whitewashed,  which  gives  the  city  a  beautiful 
appearance  at  a  little  distance.  But  it  is  said 
that  much  of  the  beauty  is  lost  on  a  near  view. 
The  streets  are  narrow,  irregular,  and  dirty ;  the 
front  of  the  town  extends  about  a  mile  on  the 
shore,  and  many  of  the  mercantile  houses  are 
built  on  spiles  and  stand  over  the  water. 

The  harbor  is  narrow  and  extends  the  whole 
length  of  the  town  in  front.  It  is  formed  by  a 
remarkable  natural  wall  or  breakwater  of  rocks 
running  parallel  with  the  shore,  and  protecting  it 
from  the  heavy  swell  of  the  Atlantic.  The  en- 
trance of  the  harbor  is  on  the  north  end  of  the 
town,  and  this  pass  is  guarded  by  several  forts. 
Here  a  boat  is  always  in  waiting  to  hail  everything 
Avhich  attempts  to  enter  the  port,  and  the  small- 
est boat  is  not  permitted  to  land  until  it  has  been 
boarded  and  inspected  by  an  officer.  We  are  told 
that  the  smallest  craft,  even  to  a  skiff,  is  not  per- 
mitted to  land  until  eighteen  dollars  are  paid  as 
port  charges.  This  was  hard  on  our  captain,  who 
only  wished  to  purchase  a  little  fruit,  etc. 


258 


ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 


Two  and  a  half  miles  to  the  north  of  Pernam- 
buco  stands  the  village  of  Olinda,  situated  upon 
the  sides  and  summit  of  a  beautifully  rounded  hill. 
This  village  is  open,  airy,  and  pleasant.  The 
houses  are  white,  and  are  among  lovely  gardens 
and  luxuriant  groves  of  tropical  trees  and  shrub- 
bery. 

As  seen  from  the  sea  this  village  presents  a 
scene  of  almost  unrivalled  loveliness  ;  but  it  might 
lose,  like  Pernambuco,  some  of  its  charms  upon  a 
nearer  view. 

A  smooth  sand-beach  extends  all  the  way  from 
Pernambuco  to  Olinda.  To  the  south  of  the  city 
lies  Cocoanut  Island,  covered  all  over  with  the  co- 
coa-palm, whose  tufted  tops  meet  and  interlock, 
forming  a  beautiful  canopy  of  perennial  green. 
The  island  is  low  and  level,  and  at  a  little  distance 
it  presents  the  appearance  of  a  floating  garden. 
In  the  rear  of  the  city  the  land  is  low  and  covered 
with  trees  and  verdure,  and  the  whole  scene  termi- 
nates in  a  mountain  ridge  of  moderate   elevation. 

A  whaling  brig  from  the  African  coast,  belong- 
ing to  New  Bedford,  has  lately  been  seized  here 
by  the  U.  S.  consul,  Mr.  Ilalscy,  and  the  crew 
arc  now  lodged  in  i)rison  on  the  charge  of  mutiny 
and   murder.       It    is   supposed    that   the    master, 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


259 


mate,  steward,  and  cook  are  all  murdered,  as  they 
are  missing. 

We  leave  the  coast  of  Brazil  to-night,  having 
been  in  near  view  of  it  for  nearly  six  days,  and  hav- 
ing sailed  along  its  tropical  shores  for  more  than 
three  hundred  English  miles. 

Sunday,  April  20 — lat.  12°  N.  We  have  left 
the  Southern  Hemisphere  behind  us,  and  are  mak- 
ing good  progress  towards  our  northern  homes. 

The  weather  being  fine,  we  had  religious  worship 
on  deck  conducted  by  Mr.  Arms.  Some  of  the 
crew  seemed  sober-minded  ;  but  one  of  the  cus- 
toms of  the  vessel  has  an  unhappy  influence  upon 
the  minds  of  the  sailors.  It  is  the  practice  of 
giving  to  every  man  who  will  take  it  a  glass  of 
rum  on  Saturday  evening. 

The  effect  is  often  ludicrous  and  yet  painful. 
In  a  few  minutes  after  swallowing  the  potation 
the  men  become  noisy  and  garrulous.  Some  be- 
gin to  harangue  the  rest ;  some  tell  stories  ;  some 
wTestle  ;  some  sing  songs  ;  others  dance  with  such 
fury  as  almost  to  blister  their  bare  feet,  and  all 
seem  to  strive  to  perform  the  most  comical  feats 
possible,  extorting  smiles  even  from  a  weeper,  and 
tears  from  a  laugher.  In  this  way  most  of  the 
Saturday  evenings    are  spent,   and  the  carousal 


26o  ADVENTURES  IN  TATAGONIA. 

often  runs  into  the  night ;  and  without  great  vigi- 
lance on  the  part  of  the  master  and  officers  it 
would  often  end  in  fighting  and  bloodshed. 

At  the  best  it  is  demoralizing,  and  it  is  an  un- 
happy preparation  for  Sunday.  A  few  of  the 
sailors  refuse  to  drink,  and  the  captain  seldom 
uses  intoxicants.  He  talks  rationally  on  the  sub- 
ject of  abstinence,  and  says  he  thinks  seriously  of 
joining  the  temperance  ranks.  Some  of  the  men 
who  forget  themselves  in  the  "  spree"  seem  to  be 
ashamed  of  it  the  next  day. 

April  26.  Made  a  few  remarks  to  Mr. on 

the  subject  of  religion.  He  seemed  disposed  to 
converse,  and  said  that  he  had  wished  for  an  op- 
portunity to  tell  me  something  of  his  history. 
We  agreed  to  set  apart  an  hour  in  the  evening 
for  this  purpose. 

At  the  hour  appointed  we  met,  and  he  related 
the  following  facts  in  regard  to  himself: 

"  Six  years  ago,"  he  said,  "  I  enlisted  in  the 
United  States  army  and  was  stationed  at  one  of 
the  posts  on  the  lines.  Many  of  my  officers  were 
pious,  and  we  had  worship  in  the  garrison  on  the 
Sabbath.  A  young  clergyman  frequently  preach- 
ed to  us  in  the  fort,  and  I  becamcd  aroused  to 
seek  the  salvation  of  my  soul.     I  thought  I  found 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  261 

Christ  :  I  united  with  the  church,  joined  the  tem- 
perance society,  and  for  a  season  sincerely  felt 
that  I  enjoyed  the  love  of  God.  But  the  tempter 
came.  A  young  woman  was  living  in  the  garrison 
who  attracted  my  attention  and  won  my  heart. 
I  resolved  to  marry  her ;  but  knowing  that  my 
ofificers  would  disapprove  of  such  a  step,  I 
managed  to  have  the  union  solemnized  without 
their  knowledge.  It  was,  however,  soon  discov- 
ered, and  I  was  put  in  confinement  for  two  days. 

''  My  wife  was  not  pious,  and  I  soon  found  that 
she  was  intemperate.  I  expostulated  with  her  in 
her  sober  moments  and  she  promised  to  reform, 
but  instead  of  this  she  grew  worse  and  worse,  and 
in  her  fits  of  intoxication  she  would  attack  me 
with  abusive  language,  and  often  in  the  presence 
of  others,  so  that  I  was  ashamed  and  grieved  and 
knew  not  what  to  do. 

"  At  length  my  term  of  service  in  the  army  ex- 
pired, and  I  resolved  to  leave  her  and  return  to 
my  friends  m  Maryland.  This  I  did,  but  I  threw 
off  my  Christian  character  and  have  never  been 
known  since  as  a  professor  of  religion.  My  troubles 
preyed  upon  my  spirits  and  I  had  no  rest.  I  went 
to  New  York  and  shipped  for  a  voyage  at  sea ; 
but  since  I  left  home  my  bosom  has  been  full  of 


262  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

trouble  and  conflict  like  the  restless  element  on 
which  I  am  tossed.  I  am  sometimes  almost  driven 
to  distraction  and  desperation.  I  have  given  up 
all  Christian  duties  and  indulged  in  many  vices, 
supposing  that  I  had  committed  the  unpardonable 
sin  and  that  further  efforts  for  salvation  were 
fruitless.  But  while  you  were  preaching  the  other 
Sabbath  I  felt  my  heart  kindle  with  a  desire  to  re- 
turn if  there  be  yet  any  hope  in  my  case,  and  I 
wished  to  have  this  conversation  with  you  to 
know  what  you  think  of  me,  and  whether  there  is 
any  hope  for  me." 

My  heart  was  melted  with  this  sad  story.  I 
endeavored  to  point  out  the  Scripture  evidences 
of  discipleship,  viz.,  loving  obedience  to  the  com- 
mands of  Christ,  telling  him  that  his  conversion 
appeared  like  that  of  a  "  stony-ground  "  hearer, 
warning  him  to  place  no  reliance  at  all  on  any 
former  experience,  and  at  the  same  time  exhort- 
ing him  not  to  despair  of  mercy  through  Christ 
Jesus.  I  told  him  there  was  one  and  only  one 
safe  way  for  him,  and  that  was  to  come  with  "  a 
broken  and  contrite  heart "  and  throw  himself  at 
the  feet  of  Jesus,  with  an  honest  and  fixed  resolu- 
tion to  "  go  and  sin  no  more."  This  he  promised 
to  do,  and  to  repair,  as  far  as  was  in  his  power, 


HOMEWARD  BOUXD.  263 

the  evils  he  had   done,  and  also  to  return  imme- 
diately to  his  wife  on  his  arrival  in  our  countr}'. 

Sunday,  May  4.  I  talked  this  morning  with  a 
young  man  on  the  subject  of  the  soul's  salvation. 
He  was  a  moral  man,  had  a  pleasant  young  wife 
and  two  children,  and  was  engaged  in  a  lucrative 
business  in  one  of  our  cities.  In  an  evil  hour  he 
was  persuaded  to  drink  to  excess,  and  while  in 
this  state  he  was  urged  to  ship  on  a  sealing  voy- 
age to  the  Antarctic  regions,  and  was  hurried  of? 
by  those  whose  "  tender  mercies  are  cruel."  When 
he  became  sober  he  saw  the  rash  step  he  had 
taken,  and  would  have  turned  back,  but  it  was 
too  late.  For  nearly  two  years  he  has  looked 
back  with  yearning  desires  to  his  injured  wife  and 
deserted  babes,  mourning  over  his  folly,  and  long- 
ing to  return  to  his  once  happy  condition  in  the 
bosom  of  domestic  love.  He  has  resolved  never 
more  to  taste  the  poison  which  deceived  and  mad- 
dened him,  and  to  live  a  virtuous  life,  endeavoring 
to  atone  for  his  past  delinquencies.  Seeming  not 
to  realize  that  his  sins  were  against  God,  I  en- 
deavored to  fix  his  attention  on  that  vital  point, 
apprising  him  of  the  danger  of  trusting  to  the 
resolutions  of  an  unchanged  and  unsanctified 
heart  to  keep  him  in  the  path  of  virtue,  and  urg- 


264  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

ing  the  duty  and  importance  of  "  repentance  to- 
ward God  and  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 
He  hstened  attentively,  and  evidently  with  tender 
feelings,  promising  to  attend  to  the  counsels  given 
him.  But  ah  !  the  sad  history  of  the  sailor  !  The 
story  of  one  is  but  the  story  of  thousands.  How 
impressive  the  declaration  of  an  ancient  prophet, 
and  how  appropriate:  "There  is  sorrow  on  the 
sea"  !  I  preached  in  the  afternoon  from  Eccl.  viii. 
II.  We  daily  pass  many  vessels,  and  are  looking 
out  for  land. 

Monday,  May  5.  Saw  schooners  lying  to  and 
fishing  for  mackerel.  Spoke  a  schooner  bound 
to  Philadelphia.  The  captain  tells  us  that  we  are 
only  forty-one  miles  from  Block  Island. 

At  3  P.M.  the  cry  "Land  ho!  land  ho!"  rang 
through  our  vessel.  Every  face  brightened  at 
the  sight  of  our  native  shores,  and  every  heart 
seemed  to  beat  faster  with  the  hope  of  treading 
the  soil  of  New  England  before  we  slept. 

As  we  drew  near  the  land,  it  proved  to  be  the 
south  side  of  Long  Island,  about  20  miles  west  of 
Montauk  Point.  To  round  the  cape  we  had  to 
beat  against  a  strong  head-wind,  \\hich  by  6  P.M. 
increased  to  a  gale.  The  struggle  to  get  around 
the  eastern  point   of  the  island  was  earnest  and 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


265 


hard,  but  unsuccessful ;  so  at  twilight  the  com- 
mand came  from  the  quarter  deck,  "  Keep  her  off." 
This  impHed  standing  out  to  sea  for  the  night. 
It  was  hard  but  necessary.  The  thrill  of  joy 
which  went  through  our  hearts  at  the  thought  of 
being  in  New  London  harbor  to-night  was  all 
changed  to  disappointment.  So  we  went  about 
and  ran  back  to  the  south  before  a  gale,  and 
meantime  the  rain  fell  in  torrents.  When  the 
Talma  was  far  enough  at  sea  to  be  out  of  dan- 
ger of  the  land  she  was  hove  to  and  suffered  to 
drift. 

We  have  had  no  gale  equal  to  this  since  we 
left  the  Falkland  Islands,  and  this  hindrance 
teaches  us  that  "  our  times  are  in  His  hands" 
who  "rules  the  raging  of  the  sea." 

May  6.  The  storm  abated  this  morning,  but 
we  had  drifted  out  of  sight  of  land,  and  it  was 
sunset  before  we  came  up  again  to  Montauk 
Point. 

So  we  retire  to  rest  not  expecting  to  reach 
New  London  to-night. 

Neiv  London  Harbor,  May  7.  At  i  o'clock,  A.M., 
while  lying  in  our  berths,  we  heard  the  plunge 
of  the  anchor,  and  the  announcement  from  the 
deck,  "  All  safe  in  New  London  Harbor  !" 


266  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

When  daylight  appeared  our  vessel  was  throng- 
ed with  citizens  who  came  on  board  to  meet  their 
friends  and  to  inquire  about  the  voyage. 

The  scene  on  board  and  on  shore  was  very 
touching.  Here  were  husbands,  fathers,  sons, 
and  brothers  inquiring  after  dear  ones  left  behind 
two  years  ago,  and  from  whom  nothing  had  been 
heard  during  this  long  period.  One  of  the  offi- 
cers was  told  that  his  only  son,  on  whom  he 
doted,  was  dead. 

Another  was  weeping  at  the  tidings  of  a  fond 
mother  and  sister  gone  forever  from  earth. 

But  the  saddest  case  of  all  was  that  of  the 
young  husband  and  father  with  whom  I  con- 
versed last  Sunday.  He  was  met  with  the  report 
that  after  his  departure  his  wife  came  to  New 
London  in  search  of  him,  and  on  learning  that 
he  had  sailed,  she,  with  a  broken  heart,  took  hef 
two  children  and  returned  to  some  friends  in 
New  York,  where  she  soon  sickened  and  died  of 
the  cholera ;  that  one  of  her  little  ones  soon  fol- 
lowed her  to  the  grave,  leaving  only  one  poor 
solitary  child  to  meet  the  father.  I  saw  the  man 
crushed  under  a  weight  of  woe  which  no  human 
power  could  remove.  It  seemed  as  if  the  life 
would  go  out  of  him,  for  he  had  so  longed  to  rc>- 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  267 

turn  to  his  injured  wife  and  forsaken  children,  to 
confess  his  folly  like  the  prodigal.  And  he  had 
so  reformed  his  habits,  and  so  carefully  husband- 
ed his  earnings  at  sea  to  cheer  and  comfort  his 
family,  that  the  disappointment  was  anguish. 

In  this  state  I  left  him  with  a  sense  of  utter 
inability  to  help.  Thanks  be  to  God,  there  is  no 
human  sorrow  so  heavy  that  it  cannot  be  re- 
moved by  the  Great  Physician. 

We  bade  our  captain,  of^cers,  and  sailors  an 
affectionate  farewell,  and  accepted  the  invitation 
of  Major  Williams  as  his  guests  while  in  the  city. 

Major  Williams  is  one  of  the  owners  of  the 
Talma,  and  in  consultation  with  his  partner  we 
were  informed  that  our  passage  from  the  Falk- 
land Islands  to  New  London  was  free. 

Thus  from  our  embarkation  in  New  York  for 
Patagonia  until  we  landed  on  the  shores  of  the 
Connecticut,  we  have  not  been  called  to  spend 
one  dollar  of  the  money  of  the  American  Board. 
All  has  been  free  on  the  part  of  ship  owners  and 
masters,  and  we  have  been  most  kindly  guided, 
protected,  and  blessed  by  Him  that  ''  keepeth 
Israel,"  and  who  has  said,  ''  Lo  !  I  am  with  you 
alway." 

Boston,  May  8,   1834.    Took    stage    to    Boston 


268  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

this  morning  to  meet  the  Prudential  Committee 
of  the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.  and  report.  All  were  sur- 
prised to  see  us,  as  nothing  had  been  heard  from 
us  from  the  day  of  our  embarkation  in  New  York 
until  we  entered  the  rooms  of  the  Board  in  Bos- 
ton to-day.  Our  report  was  unfavorable  to  the 
present  establishing  of  a  mission  in  Patagonia. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

MR.  Darwin's  explorations  and  ExrERiENCES. 

Hilo,  Haiuaii,  Dec.  i,  1876.  Since  our  visit  to 
Patagonia  I  have  been  much  interested  in  several 
recent  accounts  of  visitors  to  that  savage  land,  as 
also  to  Tierra  del  Fuegoand  the  Falkland  Islands. 

From  the  published  journals  of  some  of  these 
intelligent  and  observant  travellers  I  take  the  lib- 
erty to  make  some  extracts  whicluwill  be  of  in- 
terest to  readers. 

The  distinguished  naturalist  Charles  Darwin, 
in  his  "  Voyage  Round  the  World  "  in  H.M.S. 
Beagle,  under  the  command  of  Captain  Fitz  Roy, 
R.N.,  during  the  years  1 832-1 836,  visited  the 
Falkland  Islands,  North  and  Eastern  Patagonia, 
the  Strait  of  Magellan,  Tierra  del  Fuego,  and  the 
western  shores  of  Patagonia.  (See  nev/  edition, 
D.  Appleton  &  Co.,  New  York,  1 873.)  The  Beagle 
visited  the  Rio  Negro,  a  river  on  the  northern 
boundary  of  Patagonia ;  also  Port  Desire,  Port 
St.  Julian,  and  Santa  Cruz  on  the  Atlantic  coast, 


270 


ADVENTURES  IN  FATAGONEA. 


where  our  then  young  and  enthusiastic  scientist 
had  great  opportunities  to  examine  the  flora,  the 
fauna,  and  the  geology  of  that  wild  country. 

On  the  northern  boundaries  he  saw  the  Spanish 
settlements  and  numbers  of  the  half-tamed  In- 
dians. The  country  is  described  as  barren  and 
uninviting.  South  of  this  he  saw  very  few  In- 
dians, and  everywhere  the  face  of  the  country  was 
comparatively  level,  dry,  sandy,  and  sterile.  His 
description  of  an  expedition  with  three  boats  and 
twenty-five  men,  one  hundred  and  forty  miles  up 
the  river  Santa  Cruz  to  the  foot-hills  of  the  Cor- 
dilleras, and  within  sixty  miles  of  the  Pacific  Ocean, 
is  very  interesting.  But  it  is  remarkable  that  in 
all  this  distance,  and  during  an  absence  from  the 
Beagle  of  twenty-one  days,  they  met  no  Indians, 
though  they  occasionally  saw  their  tracks  and  the 
tracks  of  their  horses  and  dogs. 

It  seems  that  the  Beagle  was  at  Port  Desire 
and  Port  St.  Julian  in  December,  1833,  and  Janu- 
ary, 1834,  while  we  at  the  same  time  were  travel- 
ling in  the  region  of  the  Strait  of  Magellan,  sur- 
rounded by  large  clans  of  savages, 

A  Spanish  colony  once  attempted  a  settlement 
at  Port  Desire,  where  they  built  a  fort  and  many 
dwelling-houses;  but  the  sterility  of  the   soil,  the 


MR.    DARWIN'S  EXPLORATIONS,    ETC.      271 

lack  of  rain  and  of  water,  together  with  the  fierce 
hostility  of  the  inhabitants,  led  the  settlers  to 
abandon  the  enterprise. 

Another  settlement  was  commenced  far  to  the 
north  at  Port  St.  Joseph.  On  a  Sunday  every  soul 
except  two  men  of  this  little  colony  was  massacred 
by  the  savages. 

Since  then  a  considerable  colony  was  settled 
at  Port  Famine  on  the  Strait  of  Magellan.  All 
but  one  of  this  colony  perished  of  starva- 
tion, and  hence  the  name  which  commemo- 
rates the  painful  tale  of  suffering.  Connect- 
ed with  this  sad  history  is  the  story  of  a  visita- 
tion of  the  small-pox,  which  cut  off  many  of  the 
settlers.  During  this  scourge  the  savages  came 
to  the  colony  and  gathered  up  old  waste  papers 
which  had  been  thrown  away,  and  these  papers 
conveyed  the  disease  to  them,  so  that  a  large 
number  died.  This  fact  filled  them  with  fear  of 
books  and  papers,  and  this,  as  I  have  been  as- 
sured, was  the  reason  why  they  were  so  disturbed 
by  our  writing  and  reading.  And  this  may  also 
help  to  explain  another  phenomenon  which  at  the 
time  was  a  mystery  to  us,  viz.,  the  rush  of  the 
savages  and  the  circle  formed  around  our  tent  in 
the  night.     This  circle,  I  have  been  told,  was   the 


2  72  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

death-ring.  It  signifies  the  capture  of  a  prisoner 
or  prisoners.  Then  comes  the  consultation,  and 
the  decision  for  Hfe  or  for  death.  If  the  former, 
the  ring  breaks  up  and  the  enclosed  hve ;  if  the 
latter,  death  follows. 

Mr.  Darwin  says,  regarding  the  geology  of  Pat- 
agonia :  "  Differently  from  Europe,  where  the 
tertiary  formations  appear  to  have  accumulated 
in  bays,  here  along  hundreds  of  miles  of  coast  we 
have  one  great  deposit,  including  many  tertiary 
shells,  all  apparently  extinct.  The  most  common 
shell  is  a  massive  gigantic  oyster,  sometimes  over 
a  foot  in  diameter.  These  beds  are  covered  by 
others  of  a  peculiar  white  stone  including  much 
gypsum,  and  resembling  chalk,  but  really  of  a 
pumiceous  nature.  It  is  highly  remarkable  from 
being  composed,  to  at  least  one  third  part  of  its 
bulk,  of  infusoria.  Professor  Ehrenberg  has  al- 
ready ascertained  in  it  thirty  oceanic  forms. 

"  This  bed  extends  for  500  miles  along  the 
coast,  and  probably  for  a  considerably  greater 
distance.  At  Port  St.  Julian  its  thickness  is  more 
than  800  feet.  These  white  beds  are  everywhere 
capped  by  a  mass  of  gravel,  forming  probably 
one  of  the  largest  beds  of  shingle  in  the  world  ; 
it  certainly  extends  from  near  the  Rio  Colorado 


MR.    DARWIN'S  EXPLORATIONS,   ETC.      273 

to  between  600  and  700  nautical  miles  southward  ; 
at  Santa  Cruz  (a  river  a  little  south  of  St.  Julian) 
it  reaches  to  the  foot  of  the  Cordilleras  ;  half  way 
up  the  river  its  thickness  is  more  than  200  feet ; 
it  probably  everywhere  extends  to  this  great 
chain,  whence  the  well-rounded  pebbles  of  por- 
phyry have  been  derived ;  we  may  consider  its 
average  breadth  as  200  miles,  and  its  average 
thickness  as  about  50  feet. 

"  When  we  consider  that  all  these  pebbles, 
countless  as  the  grains  of  sand  in  the  desert,  have 
been  derived  from  the  slow  falling  of  masses  of 
rock  on  the  old  coast  lines  and  banks  of  rivers ; 
and  that  these  fragments  have  been  dashed  into 
smaller  pieces,  and  that  each  of  them  has  been 
slowly  rolled,  rounded,  and  far  transported,  the 
mind  is  stupefied  in  thinking  over  the  long,  abso- 
lutely necessary  lapse  of  years.  Yet  all  this  gra- 
vel has  been  transported,  and  probably  rounded, 
subsequently  to  the  deposition  of  the  white  beds, 
and  long  subsequently  to  the  underlying  beds 
with  the  tertiary  shells. 

"  Everything  in  this  southern  continent  has 
been  effected  on  a  grand  scale :  the  land,  from  the 
Rio  Plata  to  Tierra  del  Fuego,  a  distance  of  1200 
miles,  has  been  raised  in  mass  (and  in  Patagonia 


274  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

to  a  height  of  between  300  and  400  feet)  within  the 
period  of  the  now  existing  sea-shells. 

"  The  old  and  weathered  shells  left  on  the  sur- 
face of  the  upraised  plain  still  partially  retain 
their  colors.  The  uprising  movement  has  been 
interrupted  by  at  least  eight  long  periods  of  rest, 
during  which  the  sea  ate  deeply  back  into  the 
land,  forming  at  successive  levels  the  long  lines  of 
cliffs  or  escarpments  which  separate  the  different 
plains  as  they  rise  like  steps  one  behind  the 
other.  The  elevatory  movements  and  the  eat- 
ing-back power  of  the  sea  during  the  periods 
of  rest  have  been  equable  over  long  lines  of  coast ; 
for  I  was  astonished  to  find  that  the  step-like 
plains  stand  at  nearly  corresponding  heights  at 
far  distant  points.  The  lowest  plain  is  90  feet  ; 
high,  and  the  highest  which  I  ascended  near  the 
coast  is  950  feet ;  and  of  this  only  relics  are  left 
in  the  form  of  flat  gravel-capped  hills.  The  up- 
per plain  of  Santa  Cruz  slopes  up  to  a  height  of 
3000  feet  at  the  foot  of  the  Cordilleras.  I  have 
said  that  within  the  period  of  existing  sea-shells 
Patagonia  has  been  upraised  300  to  400  feet.  I 
may  add  that  within  the  period  when  icebergs 
transported  boulders  over  the  upper  plain  of  San- 
ta Cruz,  the  elevation  has  been  at  least  1500  feet. 


MR.   DARWIN'S  EXPLORATIONS,   ETC.      275 

Nor  has  Patagonia  been  affected  only  by  upward 
movements :  the  extensive  tertiary  shells  from 
Port  St.  Julian  and  Santa  Cruz  cannot  have  lived, 
according  to  Prof.  E.  Forbes,  in  a  greater  depth 
of  water  than  from  40  to  250  feet  ;  but  they  are 
now  covered  with  a  sea-deposited  strata  from  800 
to  1000  feet  in  thickness:  hence  the  bed  of  the 
sea  on  which  these  shells  once  lived  must  have 
sunk  downwards  several  hundred  feet  to  allow 
of  the  accumulation  of  the  superincumbent  strata. 
What  a  history  of  geological  changes  does  the 
simply  constructed  coast  of  Patagonia  reveal !" 

In  Appletons'  Cyclopedia,  under  "  Patagonia," 
will  be  found  an  interesting  account  of  the  survey 
of  the  river  Santa  Cruz  and  the  lake  Viedma, 
through  which  this  river  flows. 

"  The  Santa  Cruz,  after  the  Negro  by  far  the 
most  important,  as  it  is  navigable  throughout  at 
all  seasons,  the  depth  being  nowhere  less  than  9 
feet,  forms  the  eastern  outlet  of  Lake  Viedma 
(lat.  49°  30'  S.),  whence  by  a  gentle  curve  S.E.  it 
flows  to  its  estuary,  into  which  it  discharges 
through  a  mouth  three  miles  wide.  The  tide  here 
rises  35  to  50  feet  twice  in  the  twenty-four  hours. 

Of  the  lakes  existing  in  the  interior,  Viedma 
only  is  thoroughly  known ;  it  was  explored    in 


276  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

October,  1874,  by  Lieutenant  Feilberg,  of  the  Ar- 
gentine navy,  who  found  it  to  be  27  miles  long 
and  100  miles  in  circumference,  with  a  western 
drainage  to  the  Pacific,  32  miles  distant.  The 
explorer  reached  it  by  the  Santa  Cruz,  and  in  his 
return  decended  the  river  (which  has  a  current  of 
6  miles  an  hour)  to  Port  Santa  Cruz  at  the  mouth 
in  twenty  six  hours." 

Passing  over  Professor  Darwin's  interesting  re- 
marks on  the  Falkland  Islands,  I  will  quote  briefly 
from  his  "  Journal  on  Tierra  del  Fuego." 

''  In  the  afternoon  we  anchored  in  the  Bay  of 
Good  Success.  While  entering  we  were  saluted 
in  a  manner  becoming  the  inhabitants  of  this 
savage  land.  A  group  of  P^uegians,  partly  con- 
cealed by  the  entangled  forest,  were  perched  on  a 
wild  point  overhanging  the  sea  ;  and  as  we  passed 
by,  they  sprang  up  and,  waving  their  tattered 
cloaks,  sent  forth  a  loud  and  sonorous  shout. 
The  savages  followed  the  ship,  and  just  before 
dark  we  saw  their  fire  and  again  heard  their  wild 
cry.     .     .     . 

"  In  the  morning  the  captain  sent  a  party  to 
communicate  with  the  Fuegians.  .  .  .  When 
we  were  on  shore  the  party  looked  rather  alarmed, 
but  continued  talking  and  making  gestures  with 


MR.    DARWIN'S  EXPLORATIONS,    ETC.      277 

great  rapidity.  It  was  without  exception  the  most 
curious  and  interesting  spectacle  I  ever  beheld : 
I  could  not  have  believed  how  wide  was  the  dif- 
ference between  savage  and  civilized  man.  .  .  . 
The  party  altogether  closely  resembled  the  devils 
which  come  on  the  stage  in  plays  like  Der  Frei- 
scJiiitz.  Their  very  attitudes  were  abject,  and  the 
expression  of  their  countenances  distrustful,  sur- 
prised, and  startled.     .     .     . 

"  During  the  former  voyage  of  the  Adventure 
and  Beagle  in  1826  to  1830,  Captain  Fitz  Roy 
seized  on  a  party  of  natives  as  hostages  for  the 
loss  of  a  boat,  which  had  been  stolen  to  the  great 
jeopardy  of  a  party  employed  on  the  survey;  and 
some  of  the  natives  as  well  as  a  child  whom  he 
bought  for  a  pearl-button,  he  took  with  him  to 
England,  determining  to  educate  them  and  in- 
struct them  in  religion  at  his  own  expense.  To 
settle  these  natives  in  their  own  country  was  one 
of  the  chief  inducements  to  Captain  Fitz  Roy  to 
undertake  our  present  voyage ;  and  before  the 
Admiralty  had  resolved  to  send  out  this  expedi- 
tion, Captain  Fitz  Roy  had  generously  chartered 
a  vessel,  and  would  himself  have  taken  them  back. 
The  natives  were  accompanied  by  a  missionary, 
R.  Matthews,  of  whom  and  of  the  natives  Cap- 


278  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

tain  Fitz  Roy  has  published  a  full  and  excellent 
account.  Two  men,  one  of  whom  died  in  England 
of  the  small-pox,  a  boy  and  a  little  girl  were  origi- 
nally taken  ;  and  we  had  now  on  board  York 
Minster,  Jemmy  Button  (whose  name  expresses 
his  purchase-money)  and  Fuegia  Basket." 

Here  Professor  Darwin  gives  a  lively  sketch  of 
the  personal  appearance  and  characteristics  of  the 
three  Fuegians,  after  which  he  relates  the  efforts 
made  by  Captain  Fitz  Roy  to  find  their  friends 
and  relatives,  and  to  leave  them  in  their  native 
land.  The  mother  and  brothers  of  Jemmy  were, 
after  a  long  cruise,  found  in  a  little  place  called 
Woollya  on  the  shore  of  Ponsonby  Sound,  among 
the  mountains  of  Southern  Fuego,  and  here  he 
and  York  Minster  and  the  girl  Fuegia  Basket 
were  all  left. 

Touching  this  subject  the  Journal  says:  "  Cap- 
tain Fitz  Roy  having  resolved  to  settle  the  Fue- 
gians, according  to  their  wishes,  in  Ponsonby 
Sound,  four  boats  were  equipped  to  carry  them 
through  the  Beagle  Channel.  This  channel,  which 
was  discovered  by  Captain  Fitz  Roy  during  the 
last  voyage,  is  a  most  remarkable  feature  in  the 
geography  of  this  or  indeed  of  any  other  country ; 
it  may  be  compared  to  the  valley  of  Lochness,  in 


MR.    DARWIN'S  EXPLORATIONS,   ETC.      279 

Scotland,  with  its  chain  of  lakes  and  friths.  It  is 
about  120  miles  long,  with  an  average  breadth,  not 
subject  to  any  very  great  variation,  of  about  two 
miles ;  and  is  throughout  the  greater  part  so  per- 
fectly straight  that  the  view,  bounded  on  each 
side  by  a  line  of  mountains,  gradually  becomes 
indistinct  in  the  long  distance.  It  crosses  the 
southern  part  of  Tierra  del  Fuego  in  an  east  and 
west  line,  and  in  the  middle  is  joined  at  right  an- 
gles on  the  south  side  by  an  irregular  channel, 
which  has  been  called  Ponsonby  Sound.  This  is 
the  residence  of  Jemmy  Button's  tribe  and  fam- 
ily." 

This  little  fleet  of  four  boats  with  twenty-eight 
men,  headed  by  Captain  Fitz  Roy,  left  the  Beagle 
on  the  19th  of  January,  1833,  and  arrived  at 
Woollya  on  the  23d  of  January.  On  their  way 
through  Beagle  Channel  Professor  Darwin  re- 
marks :  "  As  we  proceeded  the  scenery  assumed 
a  pecuhar  and  very  magnificent  character.  The 
mountains  were  here  about  3000  feet  high,  and 
terminated  in  sharp  and  jagged  points.  They 
rose  in  one  unbroken  sweep  from  the  water's  edge, 
and  were  covered  to  the  height  of  1400  or  1500 
feet  by  the  dusky-colored  forest.     .     .     . 

"  At  night  we  slept  close  to  the  junction  of 


28o  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

Ponsonby  Sound  with  the  Beagle  Channel.  A 
small  family  of  Fuegians  who  were  living  in  the 
cove  soon  joined  our  party  round  a  blazing 
fire.  We  were  well  clothed,  and  though  sitting 
close  to  the  fire  were  far  from  too  warm  ;  yet  these 
naked  savages,  though  further  off,  were  observed, 
to  our  surprise,  to  be  steaming  with  perspiration 
at  undergoing  such  a  roasting. 

"  During  the  night  the  news  had  spread,  and 
early  in  the  morning  (23d)  a  fresh  party  arrived, 
belonging  to  the  Tckenika,  or  Jemmy's  tribe. 
Several  of  them  had  run  so  fast  that  their  noses 
were  bleeding;  and  their  mouths  frothed  from  the 
rapidity  with  which  they  talked ;  and  with  their 
naked  bodies  all  bedaubed  with  black,  white,  and 
red,  they  looked  like  so  many  demoniacs  who  had 
been  fighting. 

"  We  then  proceeded  (accompanied  by  twelve 
canoes,  each  holding  four  or  five  people)  down 
Ponsonby  Sound  to  the  spot  where  poor  Jemmy 
expected  to  find  his  mother  and  relatives.  .  . 
We  found  here  a  family  of  Jemmy's  tribe,  but 
not  his  relations  ;  we  made  friends  with  them,  and 
in  the  evening  they  sent  a  canoe  to  inform  Jem- 
my's mother  and  brothers.  The  cove  was  border- 
ed by  some  acres  of  good,  sloping  land  not  cover- 


MK.    DARWIN'S  EXPLORATIONS,    ETC.      281 

ed,  as  elsewhere,  either  by  peat  or  by  forest-trees 
.  and  as  the  spot  was  singularly  favora- 
ble, Captain  Fitz  Roy  determined  to  settle  here 
the  whole  party,  including  Matthews,  the  mission- 
ary. Five  days  were  spent  in  building  for  them 
three  large  wigwams,  in  landing  their  goods,  in 
digging  two  gardens,  and  in  sowing  seeds.  The 
next  morning  after  our  arrival  the  Fuegians  began 
to  pour  in,  and  Jemmy's  mother  and  brother  ar- 
rived. 

"  The  meeting  was  less  interesting  than  that 
between  a  horse  turned  out  into  a  field  when  he 
joins  an  old  companion.  There  was  no  demon- 
stration of  affection ;  they  simply  stared  for  a 
short  time  at  each  other,  and  the  mother  immedi- 
ately went  to  look  after  her  canoe.     .     .     . 

"  The  women  took  much  notice  of  and  were 
very  kind  to  Fuegia.  We  had  already  perceived 
that  Jemmy  had  almost  forgotten  his  own  lan- 
guage. 

"  It  was  laughable,  but  almost  pitiable,  to  hear 
him  speak  to  his  wild  brother  in  English,  and  then 
ask  him  in  Spanish,  "  No  sabe  ?"  whether  he  did  not 
understand.  Everything  went  on  peaceably  dur- 
ing the  three  next  days,  whilst  the  gardens  were 
digging  and  the  wigwams  building.       Suddenly, 


282  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

however,  on  the  27th  every  woman  and  child  dis- 
appeared. We  were  all  uneasy  at  this,  as  neither 
York  nor  Jemmy  could  make  out  the  cause.  It 
was  thought  by  some  that  they  had  been  frighten- 
ed by  our  cleaning  and  firing  off  our  muskets  on 
the  previous  evening ;  by  others  that  it  was  owing 
to  offence  taken  by  an  old  savage  who,  when  told 
to  keep  further  off,  had  coolly  spit  in  the  sentry's 
face,  and  had  then,  by  gestures  acted  over  a  sleep- 
ing Fuegian,  plainly  showed,  as  it  was  said,  that 
he  should  like  to  cut  up  and  eat  our  man. 

"  Captain  Fitz  Roy,  to  avoid  the  chance  of  an 
encounter,  which  would  have  been  fatal  to  so 
many  of  the  Fuegians,  thought  it  advisable  for  us 
to  sleep  at  a  cove  a  few  miles  distant. 

"  Matthews,  with  his  usual  quiet  fortitude,  de- 
termined to  stay  with  the  Fuegians,  and  so  we 
left  them  to  pass  their  first  awful  night.  On  our 
return  in  the  morning  (28th)  we  were  delighted 
to  find  all  quiet.  .  .  .  Captain  Fitz  Roy 
determined  to  send  the  yawl  and  one  whaleboat 
back  to  the  ship,  and  to  proceed  with  the  other 
two  boats  to  survey  the  western  parts  of  the  Bea- 
gle Channel,  and  afterwards  to  return  and  visit 
the  settlement. 

**  Feb.  6.  We  arrived  at  Woollya.  Matthews  gave 


MR.   DARWIN'S  EXPLORATIONS,    ETC.      283 

SO  bad  an  account  of  the  conduct  of  the  Fuegians 
that  Captain  Fitz  Roy  determhied  to  take  him 
back  to  the  Beagle  ;  and  ultimately  he  was  left  at 
New  Zealand,  where  his  brother  was  a  missionary. 
From  the  time  of  our  leaving  a  regular  system,  of 
plunder  commenced — York  and  Jemmy  lost  many 
things,  and  Matthews  almost  everything  which 
had  not  been  concealed  underground.  "He  de- 
scribed the  watch  he  was  obliged  to  keep  as  most 
harassing.  One  day  an  old  man  whom  Matthews 
asked  to  leave  his  wigwam  immediately  returned 
with  a  large  stone  in  his  hand.  Another  day  a 
whole  party  came  armed  v/ith  stones  and  stakes, 
and  some  of  the  younger  men  and  Jemmy's 
brother  were  crying.  Matthews  met  them  with 
presents.  Another  party  showed  by  signs  that 
they  wished  to  strip  him  naked  and  pluck  all  the 
hairs  out  of  his  face  and  body.  I  think  we  ar- 
rived just  in  time  to  save  his  life.  ...  It 
was  melancholy  leaving  the  three  Fuegians  with 
their  savage  countrymen,  but  it  was  a  great  com- 
fort that  they  had  no  personal  fears. 

"  On  the  5th  of  March,  1834,  we  anchored  in  the 
cove  at  Woollya,  but  we  saw  not  a  soul  there.  We 
were  alarmed  at  this,  for  the  natives  in  Ponsonby 
Sound  showed  by  gestures  that  there  had  been 


284  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

fightincr,  and  we  afterwards  heard  that  the  dread- 
ed  Oens  men  had  made  a  descent.  Soon  a  canoe, 
with  a  Httle  flag  flying,  was  seen  approaching, 
with  one  of  the  men  in  it  washing  the  paint  off 
his  face.  This  man  was  poor  Jemmy,  now  a  thin, 
haggard  savage,  with  long  disordered  hair,  and 
naked  except  a  bit  of  blanket  round  his  waist. 
We  did  not  recognize  him  until  he  was  close  to 
us ;  for  he  was  ashamed  of  himself,  and  turned 
his  back  to  the  ship.  We  had  left  him  plump, 
fat,  clean,  and  well  dressed  ;  I  never  saw  so  com- 
plete and  grievous  a  change.  As  soon,  however, 
as  he  was  clothed,  and  the  first  flurry  was  over, 
things  wore  a  good  appearance.  He  dined  with 
Captain  Fitz  Roy,  and  ate  his  dinner  as  tidily  as 
formerly.  He  told  us  he  had  '  too  much'  (mean- 
ing enough)  to  eat,  that  he  was  not  cold,  that  his 
relations  were  very  good  people,  and  that  he  did 
not  wish  to  go  back  to  England.  In  the  evening 
we  found  out  the  cause  of  this  great  change  in 
Jemmy's  feelings,  in  the  arrival  of  his  young  and 
nice-looking  wife.  He  brought  two  beautiful 
otter-skins,  and  some  spear-heads  and  arrows  made 
with  his  own  hands,  for  the  captain.  lie  said  he 
had  built  a  canoe  for  himself,  and  he  boasted  that 
he  could  talk  a  little  of  his  own  language.     But  it 


MR.   DARWIN'S  EXPLORATIONS,    ETC.      285 

is  a  singular  fact  that  he  appears  to  have  taught 
all  his  tribe  some  English,  An  old  man  spontane- 
ously announced  "  Jemmy  Button's  wife."  Jem- 
my had  lost  all  his  property.  He  told  us  that 
York  Minster  had  built  a  large  canoe,  and  with 
his  wife  Fuegia  had  several  months  since  gone 
to  his  own  country,  and  had  taken  farewell  by  an 
act  of  consummate  villainy  ;  he  persuaded  Jemmy 
and  his  mother  to  come  with  him,  and  then  on 
the  way  deserted  them  by  night,  stealing  every 
article  of  their  property. 

''  Jemmy  remained  on  board  till  the  ship  got 
under  weigh,  which  frightened  his  wife,  who  con- 
tinued crying  violently  till  he  got  into  his  canoe. 
He  returned  loaded  with  valuable  property. 
Every  soul  on  board  was  sorry  to  shake  hands 
with  him  for  the  last  time. 

"  Every  one  must  sincerely  hope  that  Captain 
Fitz  Roy's  noble  hope  may  be  fulfilled,  of  being 
rewarded  for  the  many  generous  sacrifices  which 
he  made  for  these  Fuegians,  by  some  shipwrecked 
sailors  being  protected  by  the  descendants  of 
Jemmy  Button  and  his  tribe.  When  Jemmy 
reached  the  shore  he  lighted  a  signal-fire,  and  the 
smoke  curled  up,  bidding  a  last  and  long  farewell, 
as  the  ship  stood  on  her  course  into  the  open  sea." 


286  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

Who  will  not  admire  the  generous,  patient,  and 
persistent  efforts  of  Captain  Fitz  Roy  in  trying 
to  plant  the  germs  of  Christianity  and  civilization 
in  the  heart  of  the  wild,  dreary,  and  savage  land 
of  Tierra  del  Fuego?  And  who  will  not  mourn 
that  he  felt  compelled  by  the  feelings  of  humanity 
to  remove  the  missionary  Matthews  from  scenes 
so  sickening  and  dangers  so  appalling  as  were 
met  among  these  wretched  savages? 

Professor  Darwin  thinks  he  has  sufficient  proof 
from  the  testimony  of  Captain  Low,  a  sealing- 
master,  from  Jemmy  Button  and  others,  that  the 
Fuegians  are  cannibals.  He  says,  "  The  different 
tribes,  when  at  war,  are  cannibals.  It  is  certain- 
ly true  that,  when  pressed  in  winter  by  hunger, 
they  kill  and  devour  their  old  women  before 
they  kill  their  dogs.  The  boy  being  asked  by  Mr. 
Low  why  they  did  this,  answered,  '  Doggies  catch 
otters  ;  old  women  no.'  This  boy  described  the 
way  in  which  they  are  killed  by  being  held  over 
smoke,  and  thus  choked.  He  imitated  their 
screams  as  a  joke,  and  described  the  parts  of 
their  bodies  which  are  considered  best  to  eat." 


CHAPTER   XV. 

THE   CAPTIVE    IN   PATAGONIA. 

For  further  information  in  regard  to  the  sav- 
ages of  Eastern  Patagonia  and  along  the  Strait  of 
Magellan,  I  refer  the  reader  to  "  The  Captive  in 
Patagonia ;  or,  A  Personal  Narrative  of  the  Cap- 
ture, Sufferings,  and  Escape  of  Benjamin  Franklin 
Bourne,  Mate  of  the  Schooner  John  Allyne,  of 
New  Bedford,"  published  by  Gould  &  Lincoln, 
Boston,  1853. 

This  schooner,  A.  Brownwell,  master,  sailed 
from  New  Bedford  on  the  13th  February,  1849, 
bound  to  California  in  search  of  gold.  In  pass- 
ing through  the  Strait  of  Magellan  the  vessel 
anchored  on  the  ist  of  May  within  the  eastern 
part  of  the  Strait,  and  very  near  the  place  where 
the  Mary  Jane  left  Mr.  Arms  and  myself,  and 
evidently  among  the  same  tribe  of  savages  with 
whom  we  sojourned  in  1833-4. 

Mr.  Bourne  was  sent  on  shore  to  trade  with 
the  natives,  but  through  the  disobedience  of  his 


288  ADVENTURES  EV  EATAGONIA. 

boat's  crew  lie  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  savages, 
who  supposed  him  to  be  the  master  of  the 
schooner,  and  who  retained  him  doubtless  with 
the  hope  of  securing  a  large  ransom  for  his  de- 
liver}^  Unfortunately  all  efforts  to  secure  his 
release  failed ;  the  John  Allyne  sailed  without 
him  ;  he  was  carried  to  the  Indians'  camp  in  the 
country,  and  a  feeling  of  horror,  almost  of  de 
spair,  such  as  cannot  be  known  but  by  experi- 
ence, came  over  him. 

The  Chilian  Government  at  that  time  had  a 
penal  settlement  at  Port  Famine,  sixty  or  seventy 
miles  westward  in  the  Strait.  To  this  place  Mr. 
Bourne  begged  earnestly  and  repeatedly  to  be 
taken,  but  his  plea  was  rejected.  In  his  agony 
for  escape  he  sometimes  became  desperate,  using 
flattery  and  threatening,  promising  his  captors 
rich  gifts  when  they  should  restore  him  to  free- 
dom, and  threatening  exemplary  vengeance  on 
any  one  who  should  dare  to  hurt  him.  For  all 
this  duplicity  he  apologizes,  as  it  seemed  to  him 
necessary  on  account  of  his  desperate  condition. 

Mr.  Jjournc  mentions  horrid  murders  commit- 
ted while  he  was  in  exile ;  he  also  thinks  that 
cannibalism  was  practised  in  Patagonia,  but  with 
great  secrecy.     He   records  two  cases  where  he 


THE   CAPTIVE  IN  PATAGONIA.  289 

was  surrounded  with  what  he  calls  "  the  fatal 
ring,"  where  his  life  was  in  great  peril,  and  where 
he  mercifully  escaped  through  the  intervention  of 
his  guardian  chief,  who  pleaded  that  his  life  might 
be  spared  until  they  had  obtained  the  promised 
presents. 

After  three  months  and  seven  days  of  physical 
sufferings  and  perils,  and  of  mental  anguish  that 
can  never  be  told,  he  succeeded  in  persuading  the 
Indians  to  go  as  far  north  as  Port  Santa  Cruz, 
where  there  was  a  small  islet  which  the  savages 
called  Holland.  At  this  island  lay  a  vessel  with 
a  few  men  come  thither  to  collect  guano. 

Bourne  set  a  signal  on  the  shore  for  a  boat  to 
come  from  the  island ;  but  it  was  not  until  the 
second  day  that  any  movement  was  made  in  re- 
sponse. At  length,  however,  a  boat  approached 
the  shore  and  was  hailed,  but  refused  to  land  for 
fear  of  the  savages.  Mr.  Hall,  who  headed  the 
boat,  told  Bourne  to  dive  into  the  sea  and  swim 
off,  promising  to  care  for  him  when  once  on  board. 

But  how  could  he  disentangle  himself  from  the 
Indians,  who  kept  close  to  him  with  their  knives, 
determined  not  to  let  him  go  until  they  received 
the  rewards  promised  ?  To  the  poor  captive  it 
was  a  case  of  life  or  death.     The  savages  ordered 


apo 


ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 


him  to  go  back  to  their  camp.  He  signified  that 
he  would  by  and  by.  They  watched  him.  Sud- 
denly he  darted  from  them  and  plunged  into  the 
roaring  surf.  They  followed  with  drawn  knives, 
but  the  surf  stopped  them,  and  he  by  a  desperate 
struggle  reached  the  boat,  and  was  taken  exhaust- 
ed and  chilled  to  the  island. 

This  was  on  the  7th  of  August,  1849,  ^"^  ^^ 
the  dead  of  winter.  He  was  taken  captive  on 
the  first  of  May,  making  his  captivity  ninety-nine 
days.  He  had  no  further  communication  with 
the  Patagonians,  and  all  their  hopes  of  rewards 
were  blasted.  This  narrative  of  Mr.  Bourne  is 
painfully  interesting,  and  it  will  well  repay  the 
reader.  His  descriptions  of  life  and  manners  in 
Patagonia  are  graphic  and  life-like,  and  more  cor- 
rect than  the  stories  of  some  who  have  written  on 
that  country. 


CHAPTER   XVI. 

"THE  STORY   OF  CAPTAIN  ALLEN   FRANCIS  GAR- 
DINER,   R.N." 

I  NOW  propose  to  add  a  few  facts  bearing  on 
the  subject  of  Patagonia  and  Tierra  del  Fuego 
taken  from  a  very  interesting  little  volume  pre- 
pared by  J.  W.  Marsh,  M.A.,  and  W.  H.  Stirling, 
B.A.  (London,  1867),  with  the  above  title. 

Having  an  earnest  desire  for  the  evangeliza- 
tion of  the  heathen,  Captain  Gardiner  relin- 
quished the  naval  service  and  devoted  his  life  to 
missionary  work.  He  was  three  years  in  the  Zulu 
country  in  South  Africa,  exploring  and  establish- 
ing a  missionary  station  at  Port  Natal. 

"  A  few  years  later  he  attempted  to  obtain  en- 
trance into  New  Guinea.  He  went  from  island 
to  island  of  the  Indian  Archipelago,  and  from 
governor  to  magistrate,  but  all  his  efforts  were 
baffled."  He  then  turned  his  attention  to  South 
America,  exploring  extensively  both  among  the 
Spanish   states    and    the  aboriginal    tribes.     He 


292 


ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 


made  an  earnest  effort  to  establish  a  Christian 
mission  among  the  unconquered  Araucanians  on 
the  south  of  ChiU  ;  but  here  he  was  foiled  by  the 
opposition,  as  he  believed,  of  the  Spanish  priests. 

In  1841  Captain  Gardiner  attempted  to  organ- 
ize an  expedition  from  the  island  of  Chiloe  to 
travel  eastward,  cross  a  pass  in  the  Cordilleras,  and 
to  communicate  with  the  natives  residing  on  the 
eastern  side.  This  plan  also  tailed,  and  he  re- 
turned to  Valparaiso,  whence  he  sailed  for  the 
Falkland  Islands,  and  arrived  at  Port  Louis  in 
Berkley  Sound  December  23d,  1841.  These  isl- 
ands he  now  selected  as  the  base  of  missionary 
operations,  purposing  to  bring  over  a  few  of  the 
Fuegians  or  Patagonians  to  the  islands  to  be  in- 
.jtructed  in  English,  and  also  to  assist  the  mission- 
tries  in  acquiring  the  language  of  the  Patagonians. 
The  seat  of  government  was  then  at  Port  Louis, 
out  it  was  afterwards  established  at  Port  William, 
cohere  the  town  of  Stanley  has  since  been  built, 
md  where  the  English  have  planted  a  small  col- 
ony. 

In  March,  1842,  Captain  Gardiner  entered  the 
Strait  of  Magellan  in  a  schooner,  and  made  an  at- 
tempt to  persuade  some  of  the  Fucgians  on  the 
south  side   of  the   Strait   to  go  with  him  to  the 


THE   STORY  OF  CAPT.    GARDhVER,  R.N.    293 

Falklands.  Failing  in  this,  he  went  over  to  the 
north  shore  and  anchored  in  Gregory  Bay,  where 
we  first  landed.  Finding  no  Indians  here,  he  pro- 
ceeded westward  twelve  miles  to  Oazy  Harbor, 
where  he  found  a  clan  headed  by  a  chief  called 
Wissale,  with  whom  he  made  an  engagement  to 
establish  a  mission  to  be  under  the  protection  of 
this  chief.  He  then  returned  with  his  family  to 
England,  made  efforts  to  interest  Christians  in 
the  South  American  enterprise,  and  brought  out 
a  Mr.  Hunt  to  labor  with  the  tribe  just  named. 
This  was  in  February,  1845.  Captain  Gardiner 
found  all  things  changed.  Most  of  the  tribe  were 
absent ;  they  were  also  divided,  and  Wissale  was 
sullen  and  unfriendly. 

So  this  effort  failed,  and  Captain  Gardiner  and 
Mr.  Hunt  returned  to  England.  In  due  time 
Captain  Gardiner  came  back  with  a  Mr.  Gon- 
zales, a  Spanish  Protestant,  to  South  America, 
where  he  travelled  heroically  to  find  aboriginal 
tribes  to  whom  the  Gospel  could  be  preached. 
He  finally  settled  Gonzales  in  Bolivia,  and  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1846,  we  find  him  again  in  England,  full  of 
zeal  in  his  South  American  enterprise. 

But  he  had  not  yet  given  up  his  purpose  to 
make  another  effort  for  Tierra  del  Fucgo.     He 


294 


ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 


travelled  and  lectured  in  England  and  Scotland, 
but  with  small  pecuniary  success.  For  want  of 
money  he  proposed  to  the  committee  to  take  a 
one-decked  boat,  a  dingey,  a  whaleboat,  two 
small  wigwams,  four  sailors,  and  one  ship-carpen- 
ter, and  sail  for  Staten  Island,  which  lies  due  east 
from  Tierra  del  Fuego.  All  things  ready,  they 
sailed  in  the  bark  Clymene,  bound  to  Peru,  on 
the  7th  of  January,  1848.  On  the  15th  of  March 
they  made  Staten  Island,  and  from  this  time  till 
the  first  of  April  they  struggled  hard  and  with 
incredible  suffering  to  establish  a  station  on  Pic- 
ton  Island,  at  Banner  Cove  ;  but  being  thwarted 
by  the  thieving  habits  of  the  savages,  they  sailed 
for  Payta  in  Peru. 

From  Peru  the  indefatigable  Captain  Gardiner 
returned  again  to  England,  with  irrepressible  zeal 
urging  the  Patagonian  Missionary  Society  to  go 
forward,  and  striving,  almost  against  hope,  to 
collect  funds  for  the  purpose.  Mr,  Ritchie,  the 
honorable  secretary  of  the  society,  had  resigned 
and  gone  to  Liverpool,  and  no  member  of  the 
committee  was  willing  to  take  his  place.  At 
length  Captain  Gardiner  persuaded  the  Rev.  Geo. 
Packcnham  Despard  to  come  to  the  rescue. 

Again  he  travelled  over  England  and  Scotland 


THE   STORY  OF  CAPT.    GARDINER,  R.N.    295 

in  search  of  funds,  but  with  little  success,  until  a 
generous  lady  gave  him  ;^700,  and  afterwards 
;^300  more.  Two  launches  26  by  8|-  feet  were 
purchased,  and  two  small  tenders,  and  provisions 
for  six  months. 

Mr.  Williams  (surgeon),  Mr.  Maidment,  Joseph 
Erwin,  and  three  Cornish  fishermen — viz.,  John 
Pearce,  John  Badcock,  and  John  Bryant — were 
appointed  to  go  to  Tierra  del  Fuego  on  this  ex- 
pedition. With  this  party  Captain  Gardiner  sailed 
from  Liverpool  in  the  bark  Ocean  Queen,  bound 
for  San  Francisco,  on  the  7th  of  September,  1850, 
and  on  the  5th  of  the  following  December  ar- 
rived at  Picton  Island,  and  the  Ocean  Queen  an- 
chored in  Banner  Cove.  Hence  he  writes:  "On 
Friday,  the  6th,  we  erected  our  tents,  and  slept 
on  shore.  On  the  7th  we  constructed  a  strong 
fence  of  trunks  of  trees,  etc.,  round  our  position, 
leaving  only  one  small  opening.  This  night  and 
during  Sunday  the  number  of  natives  increased. 
.  .  Their  rudeness  and  pertinacious  endea- 
vor to  force  a  way  into  the  tents,  and  to  purloin 
our  things,  at  length  became  so  systematic  and 
resolute  that  it  was  not  possible  to  retain  our 
position  without  resorting  to  force,  from  which, 
of  course,  we  refrained.     For  the  present  we  must 


296  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

keep  the  stores  and  everything  in  the  boats.  As 
soon  as  the  Ocean  Queen  leaves  us  I  purpose  go- 
ing to  Button  Island  and  endeavoring  to  find  out 
Jemmy,  in  the  hope  of  persuading  him  or  some  of 
his  relatives  to  locate  here." 

The  Ocean  Queen  sailed  on  the  19th  of  Decem- 
ber. An  attempt  was  then  made  to  go  to  Wool- 
lya  in  search  of  Jemmy  Button,  but  in  this  their 
two  small  boats  and  one  launch  were  lost.  They 
were  in  distress,  and  the  expedition  to  Woollya 
failed. 

On  the  2d  of  February,  1851,  Mr.  Williams 
writes :  "  How  evident  that  we  were  not  in  a 
position  to  commence,  with  such  slight  means,  so 
arduous  an  undertaking  !  We  are  now  all  agreed 
that  nothing  short  of  a  brigantine  or  schooner  of 
eighty  or  a  hundred  tons  can  answer  our  ends, 
and  to  procure  this  ultimately  the  captain  has 
fully  determined  to  use  every  effort.  A  short 
acquaintance  with  the  natives  confirmed  the  un- 
favorable reports  which  such  writers  as  Fitz  Roy, 
King,  and  Darwin  had  given." 

Fearing  the  savages  at  Banner  Cove,  the  whole 
company  had  removed  to  Spaniard  Harbor, 
where  they  watched  for  the  arrival  of  a  vessel  to 


THE   STORY  OF  CAPT    GARDINER,  R.N.    297 

bring  them  supplies  of  provisions  that  never 
came. 

They  made  one  more  trip  to  Banner  Cove,  on 
Picton  Island,  to  bring  away  provisions  they  had 
concealed,  and  to  leave  notices  to  show  where 
they  were  gone,  in  case  of  any  vessel  searching 
for  them  in  Banner  Cove. 

The  provisions  of  the  missionaries  were  getting 
reduced  day  by  day,  their  powder  and  shot  were 
being  exhausted,  their  fishing-net  gave  out ;  Mr. 
Williams  and  Mr.  Badcock  were  sick  ;  the  scurvy 
began  to  attack  some  of  their  number ;  no  vessel 
appeared  for  their  relief,  and  their  condition  was 
truly  forlorn. 

In  view  of  death  by  starvation,  nothing  but  the 
all-sufficient  grace  of  God,  in  hope  of  eternal  life, 
sustained  them.  But  faith  anchored  their  souls 
to  the  "  Rock  of  Ages." 

On  the  night  of  the  28th  of  July,  185 1,  Mr. 
Badcock  departed  in  triumph  to  his  heavenly 
home.  He  had  suffered  with  fears  that  he  was 
not  accepted  by  the  Beloved  ;  but  all  these  clouds 
of  doubt  fled  away  before  the  visions  of  a  strong 
faith,  and  just  before  he  expired  he  sang  with  a 
loud  voice: 


apS  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

"  Arise,  my  soul,  arise, 

Shake  off  thy  guilty  fears  ; 
The  bleeding  Sacrifice 
In  my  behalf  appears. 
Before  the  throne  my  Surety  stands, 
My  name  is  written  on  His  hands." 

A  part  of  the  company  slept  in  the  Speedwell, 
their  only  remaining  boat,  and  the  other  part 
occupied  a  cavern  about  one  mile  and  a  half  dis- 
tant on  the  shore.  On  the  rocks  at  the  entrance 
of  this  cave  were  afterwards  found  the  words  of 
the  62d  Psalm,  verses  5-8,  painted  with  this 
date,  July  5th,  185 1. 

On  the  25th  of  August  Joseph  Erwin  went  to 
his  rest,  deeply  lamented.  Captain  Gardiner 
writes  of  him,  "Twice  has  he  accompanied  me 
to  Tierra  del  Fuego,  and  on  all  occasions  proved 
himself  worthy  of  my  highest  confidence  and  es- 
teem." John  Bryant  died  on  the  27th  of  August. 
Maidment  labored  to  the  end  of  life  to  help  and 
comfort  his  sick  and  dying  comrades.  "  On  Sep- 
tember 2d  he  left  the  boat,  but  was  unable  to 
return,  and  his  remains  were  found  in  Pioneer 
Cavern." 

Captain  Gardiner  was  fast  growing  weaker  and 
weaker.  On  the  27th  August  he  wrote  his  last 
letter  of  affectionate  counsel  to  his  son  ;  on  the 


THE   STORY  OF  CAPT.    GARDINER,   R.N.    2 


99 


28th  he  wrote  a  tender  farewell  to  his  daughter  ; 
and  on  the  29th  he  penned  his  final  letter  to  his 
beloved  wife.  I  quote  a  brief  extract :  "  I  am 
passing  through  the  furnace,  but  blessed  be  my 
heavenly  Shepherd,  He  is  with  me,  and  I  shall 
not  want.  He  has  kept  me  in  perfect  peace,  and 
my  soul  rests  and  waits  on  Him  only.  ...  I 
trust  poor  Fuegia  and  South  America  will  not  be 
abandoned." 

On  the  30th  he  made  an  unsuccessful  effort  to 
join  the  suffering  party  at  Cook's  River,  the  place 
where  the  launch  was  anchored.  On  the  2d  of 
September  we  find  this  entry  in  his  diary  :  ''  Hope 
deferred,  not  lost."  His  last  entry  in  his  journal 
is  on  September  5th.  On  the  6th  he  wrote  his 
last  words  in  a  note  to  Mr.  Williams  : 

"My  Dear  Mr.  Williams: 

"  The  Lord  has  seen  fit  to  call  home  another  of 
our  little  company.  Our  dear  departed  brother 
left  the  boat  on  Tuesday  at  noon,  and  has  not 
since  returned ;  doubtless  he  is  in  the  presence 
of  his  Redeemer  whom  he  served  so  faithfully. 
Yet  a  little  while,  and  through  grace  we  may  join 
that  blessed  throng  to  sing  the  praises  of  Christ 
throughout  eternity.     I  neither  hunger  nor  thirst, 


300  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

though  five  days  without  food  !     Marvellous  lov- 
ing-kindness to  me  a  sinner ! 

"  Your  affectionate  brother  in  Christ, 

"Allen  F.  Gardiner." 

The  sad  narrative  tells  us  that  on  the  22d  of 
October,  185 1,  the  schooner  John  Davison,  sent 
from  Montevideo  by  Mr.  Lafone  to  look  after 
this  missionary  party,  anchored  in  Banner  Cove, 
where  the  master,  Captain  Smyley,  read  the  direc- 
tions of  Captain  Gardiner  painted  on  the  rocks, 
"  Gone  to  Spaniard  Harbor,"  dug  up  the  buried 
bottles,  read  the  enclosed  letters,  and  ran  to  Span- 
iard Harbor.  Here  he  found  one  dead  body  in 
the  boat,  another  on  the  beach,  and  one  buried. 
These  he  supposed  to  be  Pearce,  Williams,  and 
Badcock.  "  The  sight,"  says  Captain  Smyley, 
"was  awful  in  the  extreme.  The  two  captains 
who  went  with  me  in  the  boat  cried  like  children. 
Books,  papers,  medicine,  clothing,  and  tools  were 
strewed  along  the  beach  and  on  the  boat's  deck 
and  cuddy." 

A  gale  coming  on,  Captain  Smyley  was  driven 
out  to  sea  with  only  time  to  bury  the  corpses 
without  making  further  search. 

On  the    19th   of  January,    1852,  H.M.S.  Dido, 


THE  STORY  OF  CAPT.    GARDINER,    R.N.    301 

Captain  Morshead,  arrived  at  Banner  Cove  from 
the  Falkland  Islands.  The  bottles  and  letters 
were  gone,  but  the  notice  on  the  rocks  remained, 
and  directed  the  ship  to  Spaniard  Harbor.  Here 
they  found  the  bodies  of  Captain  Gardiner  and 
Mr.  Maidment. 

Captain  Morshead  writes  :  "  On  one  of  the  pa- 
pers was  written,  '  If  you  will  walk  along  the 
beach  for  a  mile  and  a  half  you  will  find  us  in  the 
other  boat,  hauled  up  in  the  mouth  of  a  river  at 
the  head  of  the  harbor  on  the  south  side.  Delay 
not,  we  are  starving.'  At  this  sad  intelligence  it 
was  impossible  to  leave  that  night,  though  the 
weather  looked  very  threatening.  I  landed  the 
next  morning,  January  2d,  and  went  to  the  head 
of  the  harbor  with  Lieutenant  Gaussen,  Mr. 
Roberts,  and  Mr.  Evans.  We  found  there  the 
wreck  of  a  boat  with  part  of  her  gear  and  stores, 
with  quantities  of  clothing,  with  the  remains  of 
two  bodies  which  I  conclude  to  be  Mr.  Williams 
(surgeon)  and  John  Pearce.  .  .  .  Their  re- 
mains were  collected  together,  and  buried  close 
to  the  spot,  and  the  funeral  service  read  by  Lieu- 
tenant Underwood,  and  three  volleys  of  musketry 
were  the  only  tribute  I  could  pay  to  this  lofty- 
minded  man  and  his  devoted  companions,    ,     .     . 


302 


ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 


and  before  noon  the  Dido  was  proceeding'  safely 
on  her  voyage." 

When  the  tidings  of  this  mournful  calamity 
reached  England  sceptics  censured  and  scoffers 
scoffed,  and  the  friends  of  Patagonia  mourned 
over  crushed  hopes.  But  they  were  soon  reas- 
sured by  the  bold  and  unconquered  zeal  of  Mr. 
Despard,  the  secretary,  who  published  widely  his 
determination  that  "  with  the  help  of  God,  the 
mission  shall  be  maintained." 

The  bugle-blast  aroused  the  friends  of  mis- 
sions to  renewed  efforts,  and  in  1854  a  schooner 
named  Allen  Gardiner  was  launched  at  Dart- 
mouth, and  sailed  from  Bristol  with  a  newly  ap- 
pointed company  of  missionaries  to  establish  a 
station  on  the  Falkland  Islands,  to  which  some 
Fuegians  might  be  brought  for  instruction  in 
English,  and  from  whom  the  missionaries  might 
learn  the  Fucgian  tongue. 

The  Allen  Gardiner  sailed  on  the  24th  of  Oc- 
tober, 1854,  under  the  command  of  Captain  Parker 
Snow,  with  Mr.  G.  Phillips  as  catcchist  and  Mr. 
Ellis  as  surgeon,  for  Keppel  Island  near  West 
Falkland,  where  the  station  was  established  on 
the  5th  of  February,  1855. 

The  Allen    Gardiner  soon  made  a  voyage  to 


THE   STORY  OF  CAPT.    GARDINER,    R.N.    303 

Tierra  del  Fuego,  where  Jemmy  Button  was  found 
living  with  his  family. 

On  the  2d  of  June,  1856,  Secretary  Despard 
sailed  from  Plymouth  for  the  Falkland  Islands  as 
superintendent  of  the  mission.  He  was  accom- 
panied by  the  Rev.  J.  F.  Ogle,  M.A,  Mr.  Allen 
W.  Gardiner,  son  of  the  lamented  Captain  Gardi- 
ner; by  Mr.  C.  Turpin  and  Mr.  W.  Bartlett,  as 
missionaries  and  helpers.  They  arrived  August 
30th. 

Secretary  Despard  soon  made  a  trip  to  Pata- 
gonia in  the  Allen  Gardiner,  and  also  to  Tierra 
del  Fuego,  where  young  Gardiner  visited  the 
grave  of  his  devoted  father  and  the  awful  me- 
mentoes of  the  deaths  of  that  forlorn  hope  of 
soldiers  of  the  cross.  In  June,  1858,  Mr.  Gardiner 
visited  Tierra  del  Fuego  again  with  Mr.  Turpin. 
They  went  to  Woollya,  found  Jemmy  Button 
and  his  wife  with  three  children,  and  they  all  went 
to  the  Falklands  to  spend  six  months  with  the 
missionaries.  They  were  overjoyed  to  see  this 
Fuegian  family,  and  on  hearing  that  they  were 
on  board  the  Allen  Gardiner  as  she  came  into 
Keppel  Island  harbor,  Mrs.  Despard  writes,  "  then 
arose  a  shout  of  joy  and  praise  among  us." 

Jemmy  and  family  remained  with  the  mission- 


304 


ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 


aries  until  November,  when  Mr.  Despard  took 
them  back  to  Woollya  in  the  Allen  Gardiner,  on 
which  occasion  Mrs.  Despard  writes  :  "  My  hus- 
band left  us  on  the  i6th,  accompanied  by  Messrs. 
Phillips  and  Turpin  and  the  Button  family  for 
Tierra  del  Fuego.  I  cannot  tell  you  how  we  miss 
our  late  guests.  During  their  stay  here  they  be- 
haved extremely  well,  never  doing  anything  to 
offend  or  annoy  us.  As  to  Jemmy,  his  politeness 
w^as  extreme,  and  I  ever  found  him  most  grateful. 
For  any  little  trifle  I  gave  him  he  would  go  and 
pick  me  a  beautiful  bouquet  of  wild  flowers  or 
spear  me  some  fish.  He  was  always  clean.  He 
quickly  recovered  his  English,  and  understood 
us  better  than  we  understood  him.  He  knows 
that  there  is  a  God  who  has  created  all  things. 
He  also  knows  about  our  blessed  Saviour." 

Did  not  Admiral  Fitz  Roy  rejoice  to  hear  this, 
and  feel  that  his  generous  efforts  to  educate  this 
dark  heathen  boy  were  not  in  vain  ? 

Mr.  Despard  with  two  catcchists  remained  a 
month  at  Woollya  with  the  Button  family,  built 
a  house  in  English  style  for  them,  and  then  re- 
turned to  the  Falkland  station  with  three  Fue- 
gians  and  their  wives,  two  boys,  and  a  little  child. 

Under  date  of  October  4th,  1859,  M''-  Despard 


THE   STORY  OF  CAPT.    GARDINER,    R.N.    305 

writes  :  "  These  Fuegians  are  just  returning  to 
their  own  home.  .  .  .  They  are  greatly  changed 
in  manners.  The  two  lads  Lucca-enges  and 
Okokko-enges  are  quite  poHte.  '  If  you  please,' 
'  Thank  you,'  '  Good-morning  '  are  ever  heard  in 
the  right  time-  and  place.  They  give  thanks  at  their 
meals,  and  pray  at  their  bedside.  .  .  .  The 
men  are  also  much  improved — coming  to  daily  wor- 
ship, and  generally  twice  on  Sunday.  They  are 
now  decent  in  their  habits,  tidily  dressed,  and  as  far 
as  our  imperfect  medium  of  communication  goes 
they  have  been  taught  the  knowledge  of  God." 

On  the  6th  of   October   these    nine    Fuegian 
were  put  on  board  the  Allen  Gardiner,  under  the 
charge  of  Mr.  Phillips,  to  be  returned  to  Woollya 
with    specific    instructions    from    Superintendent 
Despard  to  Mr.  Phillips. 

After  the  time  for  the  return  of  the  vessel  from 
Fuegia  had  passed  Mr.  Despard  and  the  mission- 
aries became  anxious  for  her  safety,  and  Mr. 
Despard  went  to  Stanley  and  despatched  the 
schooner  Nancy,  Captain  Smyley,  to  Woollya. 
Captain  Smyley  returned  with  these  heart- 
rending tidings:  "Mr.  Phillips,  Captain  Fell, 
the  two  mates  of  the  schooner,  and  four  seamen 
have  all  been  massacred  by  the  natives  in  Wool- 


3o6  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

lya,  and  the  schooner  plundered."  The  news  was 
awful,  and  the  missionaries  were  stunned  with 
amazement.  They  groaned  and  wept  and 
prayed.  They  wept  and  prayed  for  the  crushed 
widows,  the  mothers  and  fathers  and  children 
of  the  murdered,  and  for  the  poor,  deluded, 
wretched  savages  of  Fuego,  whose  cupidity  and 
brutality  had  led  them  to  imbrue  their  hands 
in  the  blood  of  those  who  had  come  to  seek  and 
to  save  them. 

The  following  are  the  facts  in  brief  of  this  terri- 
ble massacre.  The  Allen  Gardiner  arrived  at 
Woollya  November  1st,  and  the  missionaries  held 
friendly  intercourse  with  the  natives  for  several 
days.  Meanwhile  many  canoes  arrived  from 
neighboring  islands,  but  no  harm  was  suspected. 
On  Sunday,  the  6th,  all  hands  except  the  cook 
came  on  shore  for  public  worship.  While  engaged 
in  divine  service  the  savages  fell  upon  them  and 
slaughtered  the  whole  company.  The  cook,  on 
seeing  from  the  deck  the  awful  work  on  shore,  es- 
caped around  a  point  in  a  boat,  and  hid  in  the 
woods,  until  hunger  and  cold  compelled  him  to  re- 
veal himself  to  the  natives,  who  stripped  and  plun- 
dered him  but  spared  his  life.  He  was  afterwards 
taken  into  the  Button  family  and  well  treated  un- 


THE   STORY  OF  CAPT.    GARDINER,    R.jV.    307 

til  Captain  Smyley  arrived  and  took  him  on  board 
the  Nancy. 

Captain  Smyley  went  a  second  time  to  Woollya 
and  brought  away  the  wreck  of  the  Allen  Gardi- 
ner, which  had  not  been  burned.  On  this  occa- 
sion Okokko  begged  to  be  taken  back  to  Keppel 
Island  with  his  wife  Camilenna,  and  for  a  long 
time  they  were  the  only  Fuegian  residents  on  the 
Falklands. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Despard  returned  to  England 
early  in  1862,  leaving  the  farm  and  property  un- 
der the  care  of  Mr.  Bartlett,  and  the  natives 
under  the  charge  of  Mr.  Bridges. 

On  reaching  England,  the  Allen  Gardiner  was 
repaired  and  increased  in  length  and  efficiency, 
and  in  August  of  the  same  year  she  returned  to 
the  South  Atlantic  with  a  new  reinforcement  of 
missionaries,  and  with  Mr.  Sterling  as  superinten- 
dent. They  spent  three  weeks  in  the  River  Plata, 
while  Mr.  Sterling  visited  Montevideo  and 
Buenos  Ayres  on  missionary  business.  Thence 
they  sailed  for  the  Falklands,  touching  at  the  Rio 
Negro  and  Santa  Cruz  in  Patagonia,  and  arriving 
at  Keppel  Island  on  the  30th  of  January,  1863. 
Only  two  adult  Fuegians,  Okokko  and  wife,  and 
their  two  little  children  remained. 


3o8  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

It  was  now  determined  to  reopen  communica- 
tion with  Tierra  del  Fuego,  as  all  intercourse  with 
those  savage  tribes  had  ceased  since  the  massacre 
in  1859.  So  taking  on  board  the  tamed  Okokko, 
the  Allen  Gardiner  sailed  once  more  for  Fuego 
in  March,  touching  at  Banner  Cove,  Packsaddle 
Bay,  and  Woollya.  Through  the  agency  of  Okokko 
the  natives  became  friendly.  He  went  on  shore 
with  his  wife  and  children  at  Woollya,  and  spent 
a  Sabbath  in  speaking  to  the  people,  numbers  of 
whom  were  desirous  to  go  to  Keppel  Island. 
Seven  new  natives  were  taken,  making  with  the 
Okokkos  eleven  in  all.  Soon  after  this  three 
Patagonian  Indians  were  brought  over  from  Santa 
Cruz,  where  a  mission  station  had  been  com- 
menced. 

In  February,  1864,  the  Allen  Gardiner  sailed 
again  for  Tierra  del  Fuego,  taking  the  Okokko 
family  to  settle  them  in  Woollya,  where  he  and  his 
wife  were  to  act  as  Christian  teachers.  Touching 
at  Wollaston  Island  and  other  places  on  the  way, 
and  having  communication  with  the  natives,  they 
reached  Woollya  on  the  7th  of  March.  Here  they 
learned  that  a  malignant  sickness  had  swept  off  a 
large  number  of  the  people  of  all  ages,  and  that 
Jemmy  Ikitton    and    many    of    his  kindred  were 


THE   STORY  OF  CAFT.    GARDINER,    R.JV.   309 

dead,  and  there  was  great  mourning  among  the 
survivors. 

On  this  visit  the  place  was  found  where  the 
bodies  of  the  massacred  company  were  buried  un- 
der a  large  heap  of  stones.  The  funeral  service 
was  read  over  the  rocky  tomb,  while  the  flag  of 
the  schooner  hung  at  half  mast  and  the  ship's 
company  bowed  their  heads  in  sorrow. 

This  mournful  yet  successful  visit  to  Woollya 
ended  on  the  21st  of  March,  and  they  returned  to 
the  Falklands,  On  a  subsequent  visit  it  was  found 
that  Okokko's  house,  goats,  and  all  his  property  had 
been  destroyed  by  natives,  and  that  his  life  had 
been  threatened  because  he  told  the  people  of  God, 
whom  they  could  not  see,  and  of  a  hell  where  the 
wicked  would  be  punished. 

In  view  of  this  outburst  of  insane  violence 
Okokko  was  much  distressed,  and  it  was  deter- 
mined that  he  and  his  family  should  return  to  the 
Falklands  for  further  instruction.  Another  com- 
pany of  Fuegians,  also,  went  over  to  attend  the 
school  at  Keppel  Island. 

Again  the  Allen  Gardiner  sailed  for  England, 
having  on  board  Mr.  Stirling  and  four  Fuegians. 
Early  in  the  year  1867  she  returned  to  the  mission 
station  on  Keppel   Island,  taking  back  the  four 


3IO 


ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 


young  Fuegians  to  the  school  established  there, 
and  this  is  the  latest  information  I  have  been  able 
to  obtain  of  that  heroic,  that  mournfully  tragic, 
that  patient  and  persistent  effort  to  Christianize 
and  to  civilize  the  wretched  inhabitants  of  Tierra 
del  Fuego. 

Those  who  have  no  sympathy  with  the  com- 
mand of  Him  who  died  to  save  our  race,  "  Go  ye 
into  all  the  world  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every 
creature,"  may  pity  the  weakness  or  sneer  at  the 
fanaticism  of  men  who  sacrificed  life  with  all  its 
comforts  in  an  effort  to  save  the  abject  savages  of 
Tierra  del  Fuego  ;  while  others  will  admire  their 
zeal,  their  patience,  and  their  unconquerable  faith, 
thus  leaving  them  in  the  hands  of  Him  in  whose 
name  they  went  forth  among  the  gentiles  with 
the  assurance  that  '*  their  record  is  on  high." 


CHAPTER   XVII. 

LATER  EFFORTS  FOR  PATAGONIA. 

Let  us  now  return  and  take  a  rapid  glance  at 
Patagonia  to  see  some  of  the  things  which  under 
God  our  faithful  English  brethren  have  done  for 
those  benighted  tribes  since  our  sojourn  among 
them  : 

"  While  the  station  on  Keppel  Island  was  being 
formed,  voyages  were  also  made  to  the  coast  of 
Patagonia  every  year.  The  wandering  habits  of 
the  Patagonians,  however,  rendered  visits  to  their 
coasts  very  unsatisfactory.  .  .  .  Mr.  Schmid 
volunteered  to  go  alone  and  travel  with  some 
one  of  the  Patagonian  tribes,  hoping  that  in  this 
way  something  might  be  done  towards  acquiring 
the  language."  * 

There  was  then  a  Chilian  penal  settlement  at 
Sandy  Point  near  Port  Famine.  In  March,  1859, 
Mr.  Despard  and  Mr.  Schmid  visited  this  colony 
and    made   arrangements  with  the  Chilian  Gov- 

*  See  "Story  of  Allen  Gardiner,"  page  i. 


312 


ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 


ernor  and  an  Indian  chief  that  Mr.  Schmid 
should  travel  into  the  interior  under  the  guidance 
and  protection  of  said  chief,  whose  name  was 
Ascaik,  visiting  the  roaming  clans,  becoming  ac- 
quainted with  their  habits  of  life,  and  learning 
their  language.  As  a  reward  for  this  service,  pro- 
vided it  were  executed  in  good  faith,  Ascaik  was 
to  receive,  on  their  return  to  Sandy  'Point,  one 
barrel  each  of  bread  and  flour,  half  a  barrel  of 
sugar,  and  a  quantity  of  tobacco,  with  presents  to 
all  the  Indians, 

This  contract  being  written  and  deposited  with 
the  Governor,  Schmid  set  out  with  his  Indian 
guide  and  his  clan,  travelling  to  the  east  along 
the  Gregory  hills,  where  Mr.  Arms  and  I  roamed, 
to  the  eastern  entrance  of  Magellan  Strait,  where 
they  found  a  wrecked  bark,  the  Anne  Baker,  of 
Liverpool.  Here  the  natives  found  intoxicants, 
got  drunk,  had  an  awful  night,  fought,  killed  two 
men,  and  wounded  others. 

This  was  an  early  experience  of  trouble.  The 
clan  then  travelled  northward  and  met  a  troop 
coming  down  from  the  vicinity  of  the  Rio 
Negro.  The  Schmid  party  returned  to  the  wreck 
after  travelling  six  days,  and  here  another  drunk- 
en brawl  occurred. 


LATER  EFFORTS  FOR  PATAGONIA.         313 

At  length  Schmid  returned  to  Sandy  Point ; 
his  chief,  Ascaik,  died  suddenly  ;  the  Allen  Gardi- 
ner had  not  arrived  with  his  supplies  and  pres- 
ents for  the  Indians  (she  was  detained  by  the 
massacre  and  troubles  at  Tierra  del  Fuego) ;  and 
finding  an  opportunity  he  sailed  for  Valparaiso, 
and  thence  to  England. 

In  June,  1861,  he  came  again  with  Mr.  Hun- 
ziker  to  Sandy  Point.  With  this  fellow-laborer 
he  set  out  under  the  guidance  of  Casimero  and 
other  Patagonians,  and  travelled  eastward  once 
more  until  they  reached  the  main  camp  of  the 
Indians  at  the  river  Gallegos. 

Presents  were  given  to  the  chiefs  and  they 
seemed  pleased. 

The  missionaries  then  travelled  from  place  to 
place  with  the  Indians  until  late  in  the  autumn, 
when  they  returned  to  the  colony  at  Sandy 
Point,  and  soon  took  passage  for  the  Falkland 
Islands  to  arrange  for  a  permanent  station  some- 
where in  Patagonia.  The  roaming  mission  helped 
to  acquire  the  language,  but  it  failed  to  instruct 
the  savages  in  the  principles,  duties,  and  privileges 
of  Christianity  and  civiHzation.  "  Accordingly 
in  May,  1862,  the  rudiments  of  a  station  were 
formed  at  Weddell's  Bluff."     This  was  ten  miles 


314 


ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 


within  the  entrance  of  the  river  Santa  Cruz,  in 
lat.  50°  S. 

Mr.  Schmid  and  Mr.  Hunziker  occupied  this 
station,  but  it  was  not  till  after  about  three 
months  that  they  saw  any  Indians.  Thus  their 
residence  was  lonely  and  dreary,  and  the  time 
seemed  to  be  spent  in  vain. 

Mr.  Schmid  resolved  to  travel  south  in  search 
of  natives.  He  journeyed  wearily  for  sixteen 
days,  and  did  not  return  until  December,  bring- 
ing with  him  only  one  Indian,  an  old  acquaint- 
ance, Casimero,  of  Sandy  Point.  This  chief 
promised  that  his  tribe  would  visit  Santa  Cruz  in 
two  months.  The  brethren  were  greatly  dis- 
heartened by  their  long  solitude,  but  at  length,  af- 
ter waiting  eleven  months  for  letters,  the  Allen 
Gardiner  on  her  way  from  England  to  the  Falk- 
lands  came  into  port  on  the  ist  of  January,  1863. 
The  vessel  remained  twenty-eight  days  in  the 
Santa  Cruz  River,  but  during  all  that  time  no  In- 
dians appeared.  During  the  following  May  the 
Allen  Gardiner  came  again  to  this  station,  but  no 
natives  had  yet  arrived,  and  the  missionaries  were 
sad  and  discouraged.  On  the  very  next  day, 
however,  they  were  made  glad  by  the  arrival  of 
a  large  clan.     From   Monday  to  Thursday  it    was 


LATER  EE FORTS  FOR  PATAGONIA. 


315 


estimated  that  four  hundred  had  arrived  from  the 
south  or  from  the  Magellan  Strait.  These  were 
led  by  the  young  chief  Gemoki,  son  of  Ascaik. 
With  the  chiefs  of  this  tribe  Mr.  Stirling  labored 
to  secure  the  promise  that  they  would  favor  a 
school  for  their  children  at  Santa  Cruz,  leaving 
them  with  the  missionaries,  while  the  fathers 
hunted,  and  returning  periodically  to  visit  them, 
to  bring  them  guanaco  meat,  robes,  etc.  But  the 
chiefs  were  jealous  of  such  teachings,  offered 
many  objections  to  the  proposed  plan,  and  would 
make  no  promises. 

By  travelling  much  among  the  Indians  Mr. 
Schmid  had  gained  considerable  knowledge  of 
their  language.  He  had  prepared  a  vocabulary 
in  alphabetical  order,  and  an  outline  of  grammar, 
and  he  was  able  to  converse  with  some  facility  in 
the  Patagonian  tongue.  This  was  a  great  achieve- 
ment, and  a  very  essential  step  towards  Christian- 
izing the  savages. 

Mr.  Hunziker  also  had  made  good  progress  in 
the  same  direction,  while  the  missionaries  of  the 
southern  tribes  of  Tierra  del  Fuego  were  fast 
mastering  that  strange  and  savage  tongue  through 
the  help  of  their  pupils  on  Keppel  Island.  Thus 
some  of  the  greatest  obstacles  in  the  way  of  intcl- 


3i6  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

ligent    communication  with   the    tribes  were  re- 
moved. 

The  Allen  Gardiner,  on  her  way  out  from 
England  in  December,  1862,  visited  the  Rio  ' 
Negro,  and  left  two  young  missionaries  at  Pata- 
gones  to  study  the  Spanish  and  the  Patagonian 
languages,  with  a  view  to  establish  a  missionary 
base  there  in  order  to  carry  the  Gospel  to  the 
tribes  in  the  near  vicinity  and  on  the  north,  south, 
and  west. 

Patagones  is  a  Spanish  settlement,  built  on  both 
sides  of  the  Rio  Negro,  the  north  side  being  called 
El  Carmen,  and  the  south  El  Merced.  It  is  said 
that  for  about  half  the  year  the  Indians  from  all 
parts  come  to  this  settlement  to  trade.  Even 
those  that  hunt  along  the  Strait  of  Magellan  often 
travel  as  far  north  as  the  Rio  Grande  to  trade,  or 
to  steal  horses,  sheep,  and  horned  cattle.  It  is 
also  said  that  on  one  occasion  the  Indians  made 
a  raid  and  drove  off  10,000  sheep  from  the  ranch 
of  one  man  not  far  from  Patagones.  Such  forays 
embitter  the  Spaniards  against  the  natives,  and  the 
Government  of  the  Argentine  Confederation  keeps 
a  guard  of  regular  troops,  supplemented  by  200 
or  300  tamed  Indians,  along  the  frontiers,  to  pro- 
tect the  settlements  from  the  independent  tribes. 


LATER  EFFORTS  FOR  PATAGONIA.         317 

In  July,  1863,  the  superintendent  of  the  Pata- 
gonian  mission  visited  the  Rio  Negro  again,  and 
obtained  a  promise  from  the  Government  of 
Buenos  Ayres,  through  the  Minister  of  the  Inte- 
rior, of  "  all  the  moral  support  in  its  power." 

At  first  a  padre  at  Patagones  opposed  this  mis- 
sion earnestly,  forbidding  all  the  people  under  his 
influence  to  listen  to  the  heretical  English  teachers 
or  to  read  the  Bible.  But  this  priest  sickened  and 
died.  In  his  last  sickness  he  was  attended  by  the 
Rev.  George  Humble,  M.D.,  who  commenced  his 
missionary  work  at  Patagones  in  October,  1864. 
The  superintendent  writes  :  "  We  are  glad  to  re- 
cord that  for  many  months  before  the  padre's 
decease  there  was  a  softening  down  of  his  hostility 
to  the  Protestant  missionaries." 

It  has  been  remarked  that  the  station  at  Santa 
Cruz  was  abandoned.  Messrs.  Schmid  and  Hun- 
ziker  visited  England  and  Germany,  were  married, 
and  returned  to  their  work  in  South  America ; 
the  former  being  stationed  at  Bahia  Blanca,  in 
Buenos  Ayres,  and  Mr.  Hunziker  wuth  Dr.  Hum- 
ble at  Patagones.  From  this  Northern  Patagonia 
mission  I  have  been  able  to  collect  no  information 
since  August,  1865.     It  was  then  hopeful. 

From  the  Fuegian  mission  my  latest  knowledge 


3i8  ADVENTURES  IN  PATAGONIA. 

is  of  January  25th,  1867.  I  trust  its  "winter  is 
past,  the  rain  over  and  gone,  the  flowers  appear- 
ing, and  the  time  of  singing  come."  I  long  to 
hear  the  present  state  of  these  missions,  and  hope 
and  pray  that  after  such  severe  and  repeated  trials, 
such  painful  sufferings  and  sore  disappointments, 
and  after  such  undying  patience,  such  unyielding 
faith,  and  such  indomitable  perseverance,  the 
toils,  the  tears,  the  hunger,  the  bloody  sacrifices, 
the  prayers  of  agony,  the  "  hopes  deferred,"  and 
the  love  which  cannot  die,  have  all  been  re- 
warded. 

I  hope  to  hear  that  the  "  Light  which  is  to 
lighten  the  gentiles,"  and  which  is  to  "  enlighten 
every  man,"  has  penetrated  the  gloomy  realms  of 
Patagonia,  and  brought  '  life  and  immortahty"  to 
the  debased  Fuegian.  If  the  disciples  of  the 
"  Man  of  Sorrows"  are  to  "  go  into  all  the  world," 
then  surely  they  are  to  go  into  Patagonia  ;  and  if 
the  first  great  Missionary  to  this  lost  race  did  not 
withhold  His  "  face  from  shame  and  spitting,  or  His 
soul  from  death,"  that  He  might  save  man  from 
ruin,  why  then  should  His  redeemed  ones  count 
their  mortal  lives  dear  to  them  in  this  terrible 
struggle  with  "  the  god  of  this  world"  ?  "  The 
disciple  is  not  above  his  Master,"  and  to  all  the 


LATER  EFFORTS  FOR   PATAGONIA. 


319 


faithful  the  word  of  promise   is,  "  In  due  season 
ye  shall  reap,  if  ye  faint  not." 

It  is  true,  as  millions  now  in  glory  can  testify, 
that  "  they  who  sow  in  tears  shall  reap  in  joy," 
and  that  "he  who  goeth  forth  and  weepeth,  bear- 
ing precious  seed,  shall  doubtless  come  again  with 
rejoicing,  bringing  his  sheaves  with  him." 


THE  END. 


A   LIST   OF  WRITINGS   RELATING   TO 
PATAGONIA 


PiGAFETTA,  Antonio.  Primo  viaggio  intorno  al  globo  (1519* 
1522).     Milan,  1800. 

Byron,  John.  Narrative  of  sufferings  in  Patagonia.  Lon- 
don, 1768.    8vo. 

Falkner,  T.    Description  of  Patagonia.  London,  1774.    4to. 

BURNEY,  James.  Voyages  in  the  Pacific  Ocean.  London, 
1817.     5  vols.  4to.  (Vol.  5,  Chap.  V.) 

Macdonall,  J.     Voyage  to  Patagonia,  1 826-1 827. 

Reid,  a.     Human  remains  from  Patagonia.     1832  (?). 

MoRRELL,  Capt.  Benjamin.  Four  voyages  to  the  South  Sea, 
etc.,  1822-1831.     New  York,  1832.     8vo. 

D'Orbigny,  Alcide  d'.  Voyage  dans  I'Am^rique  mSridion- 
ale,  1826-1833.  Paris,  1835-1839.  7  tomes  4to.  et  2  tomes 
atlas. 

King,  Capt.  P.  P.  Observations  on  the  southern  extremity 
of  South  America  in  1826-183 o  (Journal  Roy-  Geog.  Soc,  vol. 

32;  1831). 

and   R.  Fitzroy.      Voyage  of  H.M.S.  "  Adventure" 

and  "Beagle"  1824-1833.    London,  1839. 

Darwin,  Charles.     The  "  Beagle"  journal.     London,  1839. 

The  same.    Am.  reprint.  New  York,  1878.    i2mo. 

Zoology  of  the  voyage  of  the   "  Beagle."      London, 

I 840-1 848. 

ViLLARius,  Don  Basilio.  The  River  Negro  of  Patagonia 
(Journal  Roy.  Geog.  Soc,  vol.  6). 

Bourne,  B.  F.  The  captive  in  Patagonia.  Boston,  1853. 
i2mo 


Williams,  Richard.  The  martyr  of  Patagonia.  New  York, 
1854. 

Snow.  A  cruise  among  the  Patagonians.  London,  1857. 
2  vols. 

Despard,  Rev.  George  P.  Hope  deferred:  A  narrative 
of  mission  to  Patagonia,  London,  1854. 

Jones,    .      Notes  on  two  maps  of  Patagonia  (Journal 

Roy.  Geog.  Soc,  vol.  31,  1861). 

HuTCHESON,  P.  C.    Southern  martyrs.    London,  1863. 

GuiNNARD.  Trois  ans  d'esclavage  chez  les  Patagons.  Paris, 
1864. 

Three  years  of  slavery  among  the  Patagonians.  Lon- 
don, 1871. 

Marsh,  John  W.  The  story  of  Allen  Gardiner.  London, 
1867. 

SCHMID, .     Patagonian  vocabulary.     1870. 

Pourtales,  Count.     Patagonia.     London,  1873. 

Musters,  Lieut.  George  Chav^^orth.  At  home  with  the 
Patagonians.     London,  1871. 

Agassiz,  Mrs.  E.  C.  In  the  straits  of  Magellan  (Atlantic 
Monthly,  Jan.,  1873). 

Moreno,  Francisco.  Description  des  cimetiferes  et  para- 
deros  de  la  Patagonie  (Revue  d'Anthropologie,  vol.  3,  1874). 

Relation  d'une  exploration  en  Patagonie.     1876. 

Daireaux,   Emile.      Les    derm^res    explorations    dans    la 

Pampa  et  la  Patagonie.     (An  article  in  the  Revue  des  Detix 
Mondes  for  15th  April,  1877.) 

Beerbohm,  Juuus.  Wanderings  in  Patagonia.  New  York, 
1879.     i6mo. 


THE  END 


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